Evaluation and Identification of Suitable Maize Cultivars for Baby Corn Productivity Traits

摘要

Twenty cultivars of maize were assessed for their suitability for baby corn cultivation on the basis of different characteristics relevant for baby corn production relating to productivity traits, viz. flowering, as well as ear and plant characteristics (days to first cob picking, fodder etc.), during kharif '2007 and rabi 2007-08 seasons. HM 4 and HQPM 1 were found superior for most of the important productivity traits for cultivation, viz. husked cob yield per plant, HM 4(174.8g), HQPM 1 (169.9g);de-husked cob yield per plant, HM 4 (30.4g), HQPM 1 (26.0g); number of cobs picked per plant, HM 4 (3.3), HQPM 1 (2.7) and fodder yield per plant, HM 4 (522.3g), HQPM 1 (650.6g). Vivek Hybrid 17 and Vivek Hybrid 9 were found 10-14 days early for number of days to first cob picking and number of days to last cob picking compared to other cultivars. On the basis of overall characteristics, two elite hybrids HM 4 and HQPM 1 were identified for baby corn purpose. Many genotypes with specific characteristicscan serve as potential genetic resources for effecting further development of new genotypes useful for baby corn improvement.