Growth, yield and economics of rabi sweet corn (Zea mays L., var. saccharata Sturt) as influenced by different spacing and fertilizer levels under south Gujarat conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi 2011 at College Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari to assess the response of rabi sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata Sturt) to spacing and fertilizer levels under south Gujarat conditions. The experiment comprising 16 treatment combinations consisting of four levels of plant spacing (60×15, 45×20, 30×30 and 60×30 cm) and four fertility levels (60–30, 90–45, 120-60 and 150-75 kg N-P2O5/ha). Plant spacing of 60×30 cm, 45×20 cm and 60×15 cm attained significantly higher plant height compared to 30×30 cm. While stem diameter and number of leaves per plant were not influenced by different spacing levels. The sweet corn plants exhibited significantly maximum values of yield attributes viz., cob length, cob girth, under spacing of 45×20 cm. Number of cobs per plant and cob yield per plant were higher under spacing of 60×30 cm. Highest green cob yield was recorded at spacing of 45×20 cm closely followed by 30×30 cm. The highest net returns (Rs. 60568/ha) and BCR (5.52) were recorded under plant spacing of 45×20 cm. The growth of sweet corn in terms of plant height, number of leaves per plant and stem diameter were maximum with application of 150-75 kg N-P2O5/ha. The sweet corn plants exhibited maximum values of yield attributes viz., number of cobs per plant under 150-75 kg N-P2O5/ha and found at par with those recorded under 120-60 kg N-P2O5/ha. Whereas cob length and cob girth were under 120-60 kg N-P2O5/ha and found at par with those recorded under 150-75 kg N-P2O5/ha. Application of 150-75 and 120-60 kg N-P2O5/ha significantly increased green cob yield over 90–45 and 60–30 kg N-P2O5/ha. Economic evaluation of fertility levels revealed that the highest net returns of Rs. 59509/ha and BCR of 5.46 were recorded with application of 120-60 kg N-P2O5/ha. Thus, from the present study, it seems quite logical to conclude that higher production and net returns from rabi sweet corn (var. Madhuri) can be secured by sowing the crop at 45×20 cm spacing and fertilizing with 120-60 kg N-P2O5/ha on clayey soil under south Gujarat conditions.