Effect of Different Rates and Times of Nitrogen Application on Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Sweet Corn (Zea mays L. saccharata) Under South Gujarat Condition

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season in 2017-18 to study the effect of different rates and times of nitrogen application on growth, yield attributes and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata) under south Gujarat conditions. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications. The factors consisted of four nitrogen levels i.e., 90 kg ha-1 (N1), 120 kg ha-1 (N2), 150 kg ha-1 (N3) and 180 kg ha-1 (N4) and four treatments of split application i.e., ½ basal + ½ at knee height (T1), ½ basal + ¼ knee height + ¼ tasseling (T2), 1 /3 basal + 1 /3 knee height + 1 /3tasseling (T3), ¼ basal + ½ at knee height + ¼ tasseling (T4). The results revealed that increasing the nitrogen level from 90 (N1) to 180 (N4) kg ha-1 significantly increased the growth attributes viz, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, yield attributes viz, number of grains per cob, weight of grains per cob, weight of cob per plant, green cob and fodder yield. Significantly higher green cob (132.94 q ha-1) and fodder yield (307.29 q ha-1) with net return (Rs.258239 ha-1) and benefit: cost ratio of 4.74 was obtained with 180 kg ha-1 nitrogen application. Application of nitrogen in three splits i.e., at ¼ basal + ½ at knee height + ¼ tasseling (T4) recorded significantly higher growth characters viz, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, yield attributes viz, number of grains per cob, weight of grains per cob, weight of cob per plant, green cob (126.99 q ha-1) and fodder yield (293.14 q ha-1) with net return (Rs.242739 ha-1) and benefit: cost ratio of 4.47.