Influence of nutrient management and moisture conservation practices on Growth and development of organic baby corn (Zea mays L.) in Assam

Abstract

Background: Baby corn is the small (6-7 cm long) and young unfertilized corn ear harvested at the stage of silk emergence (i.e. within 2 - 3 days of silk emergence). In the present scenario, the use of chemical fertilizers may help in achieving maximum yield of baby corn but they pose serious health hazards and it is a big threat to the sustainability of agriculture. Assam has tremendous potential to grow crops organically and emerge as the main supplier of organic products in the world’s organic market. In Assam, baby corn is rather a new introduction, so efforts are required to standardize the its cultivation. Therefore, the need was felt to standardize organic production technology for baby corn through supplementation of the nutrient requirement through organic manures and biofertilizers. Moisture conservation in agriculture is also very essential in this dynamic climate change. Methods: A field experiment was conducted at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during the year 2016-17. The experiment consisted of two different factors i.e. nutrient management viz., control, enriched compost 2.5 t ha-1, vermicompost 2 t ha-1 incubated with bio-fertilizers, poultry manure 2 t ha-1 incubated with bio-fertilizers, FYM 2.5 t ha-1 incubated with bio-fertilizers and FYM 2.5 t ha-1+lime+ash (1000:10:1) and moisture conservation i.e. no mulch and mulch with paddy straw @ 2 t ha-1). Plant height at harvest, number of leaves plant-1 at harvest and dry matter production (g plant-1), LAI, LAD at 30 day days interval was recorded. Reading on chlorophyll content was taken by SPAD- 502 chlorophyll meter at 45 DAS and 90 DAS. Cob yield was recorded from the net plot area and expressed in t ha-1. Result: Application of enriched compost 2.5 t ha-1 in baby corn produced highest growth characters like plant height, number of leaves plant-1, dry matter production, leaf area index, leaf area duration, chlorophyll content, cob yield with husk (8.165 t ha-1) followed by FYM 2.5 t ha-1+lime+ash (6.495 t ha-1). Mulching with paddy straw 2 t ha-1 recorded the higher cob yield (6.172 t ha-1) over no mulch condition (5.431 t ha-1).