Sweet Corn Crops Research Articles

IoT-based smart drip irrigation scheduling and wireless monitoring of microclimate in sweet corn crop under plastic mulching

IoT-based smart drip irrigation scheduling and wireless monitoring of microclimate in sweet corn crop under plastic mulching

Characterization and identification of Burkholderia gladioli causing stalk rot of sweet corn in Thailand

AbstractStalk rot disease is becoming an important disease in sweet corn crops because it causes significant yield losses of the crop. In July 2022, typical symptoms of stem rot were observed in fields of Mae Hia Agricultural Research, Demonstration and Training Center in Chiang Mai province of Thailand. The symptoms exhibited by affected crop included circular water‐soaked lesions, rot and necrotic tissue at the base of the stalk. Koch's postulates were fulfilled with reisolation of the inoculated strain from the inoculated tissues, and confirmation was obtained by phenotypic characters and 16S rRNA sequences. The isolated colony on nutrient agar was cream‐coloured, circular, with a convex elevation, entire margin and smooth surface; the optical character was translucent and exuded a yellowish pigment that diffused in the nutrient agar, gram‐negative, lacked arginine dihydrolase, occurrence of the oxidase and catalase reaction. The strains were able to utilize d‐galactose and glucose but were unable to utilize d‐maltose, d‐cellobiose, d‐fructose, d‐mannose, mannitol, lactose and sucrose. The strains showed positive results for gelatine liquefaction test, citrate utilization and casein hydrolysis, but starch hydrolysis and indole production were negative result. These characteristics are the same as those described previously for Burkholderia gladioli. Disease severity in sweet corn was 43.8%, with infections showing spots with dark margins and soft rot on mature leaves and flag leaves. Disease severity in waxy corn and maize were 21.9% and 15.6%, respectively, showing a few light or dark brown spots at the infection sites. Therefore, this represents the first report of leaf stripe and stalk rot disease in sweet corn in Thailand.

Estimation of Crop Water Requirement of Sweet corn crop using CROPWAT 8.0 model

Most of the crops are watered through traditional methods of irrigation, which leads to wastage of water. The Crop Water Requirement (CWR) is necessary to design the irrigation system, which is the total quantity of water required for the crop from sowing to harvest.Optimization of water applied to the crop is essential as the yields of the crop are adversely affected either by excess or deficit water supply. CROPWAT 8.0 requires meteorological data as input such as maximum and minimum temperatures, wind speed, relative humidity, and sunshine hours. The soil and crop data were also given as input for calculating the CWR of sweet corn. The meteorological data of the past ten years was collected from the meteorological observatory, which is located at Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla. The average values of the above-said data were calculated for ten years (2012-2021) to estimate the crop water requirement using CROPWAT 8.0. The crop water requirement was estimated as 332 mm using the CROPWAT 8.0 model. It was found to be minimal in the initial stages (15.60 mm/dec) and found to be maximum in the middle stages (64.80 mm/dec), and again at harvesting stage, it started declining (16.70 mm/dec). CROPWAT 8.0 model gives more accurate amount of water needed for the crop, which in turn helps the crop growers to design the appropriate irrigation scheduling.

The Effect of Nano and Metallic Boron Spray on some Growth Traits of Sweet Corn under Water Stress Conditions

Under conditions of water stress, a field experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of spraying with nano and metal boron on certain vegetative development parameters of the sweet crop (Zea mays L. Var saccharata) in the fall seasons of 2021 and 2022. The experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of spraying with nano and metal boron. A split-plot R.C.B.D. with three replications was used to design the experiment. W1, W2, and W3 represented 40%, 60%, and 80% water depletion in the major plots. The sub-plots were treated with two concentrations of boron nano particles (5 and 10 mg L-1) designated N1 and N2, two concentrations of metal boron (20 and 40 mg L-1) denoted M1 and M2, and a control treatment of spraying distilled water only. The number of days from planting to 75% tasseling, plant height, leaf number, leaf area, leaf area index, plant dry weight, and crop growth rate for both seasons did not differ between 40% and 60% water stress. 80% water stress decreased all trait averages. Nano and metallic boron spraying significantly affected most features. Spraying with 5 mg L-1 nano-boron concentration reduced the number of days from planting to 75% tasseling by 46.89 and 47.11 days, as well as plant height (141.36 and 142.10 cm), leaf number (13.40 and 13.51 leaves plant-1), plant dry weight (165.80 and 165.93 g plant-1), and crop growth rate (3.53 and 3.51 g m2 day-1 ) for both seasons. However, spraying with 10 mg L-1 nano-boron concentration produced the largest average leaf area (4507.90 and 4530.80 cm2 plant-1) and leaf area index (2.40 and 2.41, respectively) compared to the control treatment for both seasons. For both seasons, Water stress and nano/mineral boron spraying influenced plant height, leaf area, leaf area index, and dry weight. In cases of restricted irrigation water, we propose watering when the available water is 60% drained and spraying with nano boron at 5 mg L-1 to improve the plant’s performance in most of the sweet corn crop’s development features.

Improving the Quality of Functional Food Crops and Land Efficiency by Intercropping System on Application of Integrated Fertilizer

The intercropping system and integrated fertilizers were applied in the research to improve land efficiency and the quality of sweet corn and vegetable soybean crops. The study was conducted in the Giwangan Village of Umbulharjo Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and was set up using a three-replication factorial Randomized Complete Block Design. Three organic fertilizer sources (cow manure, chicken manure, and composted waste) made up the first factor, and the second factor was NPK fertilizer doses (200, 300, and 400 kg ha-1). Two control treatments were also made, which resulted in 33 experimental plots. The observed data were subjected to analysis of variance and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at a significance of 5%. The study’s findings demonstrated that the combination of 300–400 kg ha–1 NPK fertilizer and chicken manure increased variables such as the content of vitamin C and pro-vitamin A, number of seed rows, number of 2-3 seed pods, and sweetness level of soybean and sweet corn, as well as the land equivalent ratio, land equivalent coefficient, competition index, system productivity index, and relative yield mixture.

Field evaluation of a commercial variable-rate irrigation decision support system – a study for maize and sweet corn

ABSTRACT The agricultural sector is facing a pressing need to adopt variable-rate irrigation decision support systems (VRI–DSS) to address global challenges such as water quality, water scarcity, food security, and climate change. This study evaluated a model-based VRI–DSS for maize and sweetcorn crops in a commercial field with two soil zones and a VRI center pivot. The evaluation involved assessing the farmer’s use of the system and comparing the VRI–DSS outputs using default parameters (e.g. virtual climate data) with outputs using local data. The results showed good agreement between the virtual and local climate data (R2 = 0.94, RMSE = 0.51 °C for air temperature; R2 = 0.79, RMSE = 0.53 mm/day for evapotranspiration), except for rainfall, which was overestimated by 12% by the VRI–DSS. The soil water deficit estimates from the local data also matched well with the neutron probe measurements. The farmer applied less irrigation due to water restrictions, but water use efficiency varied between soil zones for sweetcorn. The evaluation showed that VRI–DSS, with accurate climate data, is a useful tool for estimating variable-irrigation requirements for maize and sweetcorn under one system. However, more field data and local rainfall data are required to validate the decision software system.

Response of Growth and Yield of Sweet Corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt) to Giving Tofu Liquid Waste and Chicken Manure Fertilizer

This study aims to determine the response of growth and yield of Sweet corn crops (Zea mays saccharata Sturt) on the provision of liquid waste tofu and chicken manure. This research was arranged by using Randomized Block Design with treatments, namely: Control (P0), liquid waste tofu 300 ml (P1), liquid waste tofu 600 ml (P2), chicken manure (P3), liquid waste tofu 300 ml + chicken manure (P4), liquid waste tofu 600 ml + chicken manure (P5) with 4 replications. The variables observed in this study consist of; plant height, number of leaves, number of cobs, cob weight and wet weight of the plant. Data were analyzed by using variance test (Anova) followed by Duncan 5% test. The results showed that the liquid waste treatment of 600 ml + chicken manure can increase the plant height, the number of leaves, the number of cobs, the weight of the cob and the wet weight of the plant. The best crop yields were found in the treatment of liquid waste of 600 ml + manure (P5) because it was able to increase plant height 61.20%, leaves 40.16%, cobs 79%, cob weight 564,74%, wet weight 163, 83% compared with control treatment (P0).

Changes in biological activity and toxicity of soil in sweet corn crops

The number of soil microorganisms affect the fertility of the soil and the processes occurring in the soil microflora. An urgent research problem is the rationale for the use of intensive technologies for the cultivation of sweet corn using progressive methods for obtaining a highly productive crop based on the principles of resource conservation, biologization and ecologization. The purpose of the research is to study the toxicity and biological activity of the soil after sowing sweet corn. The tasks are to determine the biological activity and toxicity of the soil, and comparative impact of agricultural practices in the study of soil toxicity. Two-factor experiment in quadruple repetition. The experiments were carried out on the farm enterprise of Popov S.A., the Chernoyarsky district of the Astrakhan region. The research period was 2009…2015. Determination of biological activity and toxicity was carried out at the beginning of the research in 2009 and 2015. According to the assessment of the intensity of the destruction of cellulose on O.E. Pryazhnikova’s scale biological activity was characterized as strong. A close correlation dependence on experience factors was noted, the relationship between the signs was high and direct. When determining the toxicity of the soil, we came to the conclusion that at the beginning of the research favorable conditions for the development of the studied crop were formed on soils cultivated by moldboard cultivation. According to zero tillage, an increase in soil toxicity was observed, which was expressed in a decrease in seed germination, the mass of seedlings. Revisited in 2015. Soil toxicity after zero tillage decreased in all variants, seed germination increased, on average, by 5...8%. As a result of the accumulation of plant residues on the soil surface, an upper humus layer was formed, leading to a constant penetration of ai r into the soil.

Cover Crop Termination Method and N Fertilization Effects on Sweet Corn Yield, Quality, N Uptake, and Weed Pressure

Cover cropping is vital for soil health. Timing and method of termination are major factors influencing the agroecological benefits of cover crops. Delay in the termination of cover crops results in greater biomass production. Likewise, incorporation of cover crops during termination often speeds residue mineralization compared to no-till systems. We used four termination strategies for a late-terminated winter rye–legume mix (in tilled and no-till systems) and four N application rates in the succeeding sweet corn crop to examine how cover crop termination affected N response in sweet corn as well as the independent effects of N application rate and cover crop termination method. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Increasing N fertilization up to 144 kg N ha−1 promoted yield and quality in sweet corn as well as summer weed growth. The cover crop termination method did not affect sweet corn response to N fertilizer. This suggests that when rye is terminated late in the spring before planting cash crops, the incorporation of its residues may not greatly affect the soil N dynamics. This indicates that decisions to incorporate rye residues may be taken by farmers with an eye mainly towards management issues such as weed control, environmental impacts, and soil health.

Sweet corn crop yield response to aerated drip irrigation under various irrigation water management strategies

In the era of decreasing irrigation water availabilities, the focus must be on decreasing crop production water footprints. The various irrigation water management like deficit irrigation, fertigation, and mulching along with MIS can help reduce water footprints. However, the effects of aerated drip irrigation on sweet corn performance under various options of irrigation water management are not yet examined elsewhere. So, it was assessed through field experiments for 2 years during the winter season of the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 at the research farm of the Junagadh Agricultural University campus at Junagadh having a soil texture of clay loam. Two air injection rates i.e. 0 and 12 % by volume of irrigation flow rate was imposed on 16 different treatment combinations of 2 irrigation levels (deficit irrigation-0.7 ETc and full irrigation-1.0 ETc {Crop Evapotranspiration}), 2 fertigation levels (deficit fertigation-0.7 RDF and full fertigation-1.0 RDF {Recommended Dose of Fertilizer}), 2 drip system type (surface drip and subsurface drip) and 2 mulch levels (mulch and no mulch). The aerated irrigation effects on the production of fresh cob yield were found different under various options of irrigation water management. Overall, on average, sweet corn cob yield increased by 8.94% due to aerated irrigation as compared to non-aerated and the results were found significant. The adoption of aerated subsurface drip irrigation under mulch with irrigation/fertigation scheduling at 1.0 ETc/1.0 RDF would result in higher yield if adopted by farmers, in other words, the yield increase of fresh cob would be almost twice as compared to traditional practices with benefit cost ratio (B/C) as 3.01 for aerated treatment and 2.78 for non-aerated treatment for subsurface drip irrigation under mulch with irrigation/fertigation scheduling at 1.0 ETc/1.0 RDF.

Keragaan 23 Varietas Jagung Manis (Zea mays saccharata. Sturt) Komersial

Performance is one of the important stages in breeding sweet corn before releasing varieties. Performance evaluation is carried out to determine the phenotypic character of a genotype so that the yield potential of a variety can be known. Research on the performance of sweet corn in Indonesia is still relatively rare, so this research needs to be carried out with the aim of knowing the performance and yield of 23 commercial sweet corn varieties ( Zea mays saccharata Sturt) in Indonesia. The study was carried out at the Leuwikopo Experimental Garden, Dramaga, Bogor from August to November 2021 using one factor, namely varieties with a complete randomized group design with three replications. The results of analysis of variance on 23 varieties of sweet corn showed that the genotype had a very significant effect on the characters of plant height, cob height, age of female flower emergence, anthesis silking interval, cob length, sweetness level, shelf life and cob weight, both with and without husks. weight per plot, and sweet corn crop productivity. In addition, the genotype had a significant effect on the length of the cob stalk and had no significant effect on the character of the stem diameter, the diameter of the cob, and the length of the seed cob. The varieties with the best productivity were found in the Talenta variety. In addition, observations of each observed character indicate the advantages and disadvantages of the tested varieties. Keywords: genotype, yield, character, performance, productivity

The Effectiveness of Organic Fertilizer Granules for Increasing Sweet Corn Production on Acid Dryland In Bogor District

Acid dry land generally has limiting factors of higher acidity and low nutrients availibity, so that has low productivity. However, the appropriate inputs have productivity to be better. Research on effectivness of granular organic fertilizers (GOF) to increase sweet corn production has been carried out on dry land in Bogor Regency. The purpose research was to determine the effect GOF of plant growth and enhancment production of sweet corns in acid dry land. This study used a Completely Randomized Block Design with ten treatments and three replications. The results showed that the application of GOF dose 200 kg/ha could increasing soil pH. This improvement in soil chemical properties was followed by increased growth and production of sweet corn. Besides increase the plant growth, GOF made more efficiency 25% of anorganic fertilizer usage. The combination treatment of granular organomineral fertilizers dose 600 kg/ha and NPK recommendation 75% fertilizers increase plant growth such as plant height (124,52%), number of leaves (49%), and plant stem diameter (84,3%). The combination treatment of granular organomineral fertilizers dose 200 – 400 kg/ha and NPK recommendation 75% fertilizers increase sweet corn production such fresh cobs production (345%) and dry corn stover (345%). RAE value is >100% in each GOF treatment, which is the fertilizer effective to increase the sweet corn crops. The optimum yield of maize is 17,45 ton/ha could be obtained with the application of granular organomineral fertilizers dose 275 kg/ha.

The Effect of Biochar and Cow Manual Fertilizer on Nutrition Upport and Production of Sweet Corn (Zea Mays L.)

The demand for sweet corn is increasing every year, one of the efforts to increase the production of sweet corn is to utilize suboptimal land such as post-PETI land. The purpose of the study was to examine the application of biochar and cow manure to nutrient uptake and the yield of sweet corn crops. This research was carried out in the experimental garden of the Faculty of Agriculture. This study is a factorial experiment arranged in a complete randomized design (RAL) with biochar and cow manure treatment. The first factor is biochar which consists of four dose levels, namely without biochar, biochar 6 tons / ha, 12 tons / ha and 18 tons / ha. The second factor is the application of manure with four dose levels, namely without manure, 20 tons / ha, 40 tons / ha and 60 tons / ha of manure each repeated 3 times, so that there are 48 experimental units. The results showed that pemberian pupuk cowshed as much as 60 tons / hectare and biochar as much as 18 tons / hectare can increase N absorption by 16.7%. The provision of cow shed p upuk as much as 40 tons / hectare and biochar as much as 18 tons / hectare can increase P and K absorption by 32.57% and 39.13%, respectively. The provision of cowshed p upuk as much as 20 tons / hectare and without biochar can increase Ca uptake by 3.74%. Hasil of sweet corn plants ranges from 0.3 to 1.67 tons / ha due to the application of manure and biochar.

Yield and intercropping indices of sweet corn and okra grown in young rubber plantation

Intercropping is a labor-intensive practice largely adopted by smallholder farmers to increase yield per unit area, cope with crop failures and market fluctuations, meet food preferences and increase farm income. A field experiment was conducted to examine the yield performances and intercropping efficiencies of sweet corn and okra planted in a young rubber plantation. The treatments were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments ratios were 20% okra + 80% sweet corn (strip and strip relay intercropping) with sole okra and sweet corn as the control. This consists of strips intercropping (okra and sweet corn planted on the same date), strip relay intercropping (sweet corn planted 4 weeks after okra planting), sole okra and sole sweet corn. The highest yield of okra was obtained from strip relay intercropping while the highest yield of sweet corn was produced from the pattern of strip intercropping. However, the economic analysis showed that the strip intercropping recorded the maximum gross margin and costbenefit ratio of RM 17,733.20 ha-1 and 2.09, respectively. Immature rubber growth was unaffected by intercropping with sweet corn and okra crops. Strip intercropping not only resulted in the higher land equivalent ratio (1.29), but also area time equivalent ratio, % land saved and monetary advantage index of 1.14, 22.28% and RM 7,583.50 ha-1, respectively compared with strip relay intercropping. The highest assessment of intercropping based on relative crowding coefficient was recorded by strip intercropping with 4.56. With regard to competition between the intercrops, okra was a more dominant species as measured by the positive value of aggressivity. However, strip intercropping was indicated the lowest competitive ratio than the strip relay intercropping. Thus, this intercropping pattern could be recommended to the farmers for adoption.

KETERSEDIAAN DAN SERAPAN P SERTA HASIL JAGUNG MANIS (Zea mays saccharata Sturt.) DENGAN PEMBERIAN PUPUK UREA DAN PK (11:14) PADA INCEPTISOLS DI JATINANGOR

[PHOSPHOROUS AVAILABILITY, ITS UPTAKE AND YIELD OF SWEET CORN UNDER THE APPLICATION OF UREA AND PK FERTILIZERS IN JATINANGOR INCEPTISOLS]. Maize is one of the staple foods cultivated in Indonesia. Low soil fertility causes the low production of maize. Sweet corn requires sufficient nutrients to grow and produce optimally. The application of a combination of Urea fertilizers and PK on sweet corn plants is expected to increase the availability of nutrients and sweet corn crop production. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Urea fertilizer and PK application on available P, P uptake, and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt) on Jatinangor Inceptisols. This research used the Randomized Block Design (RBD) experiment model, consisting of 9 treatments of 1 control treatment (without treatment), 1 standard recommendation of N, P, K fertilizer treatment, and 7 treatments combination of Urea fertilizer and PK. Each treatment was repeated three times. The results revealed that available-P, P uptake, and yield of sweet corn on Jatinangor Inceptisols were affected by the combination of Urea fertilizer and PK. The combination of 300 kg/ha of urea with 215 kg/ha of PK fertilizer increased the available P value until 23,78 ppm, P uptake (0,67 %), and fresh weight of the corncobs (480,27 g plant-1) on Jatinangor Inceptisols.

Effect of different organic nutrient management practices on yield and yield attributes of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. Saccharata)

The present experiment entitled “Effect of different organic nutrient management practices on yield and yield attributes of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. Saccharata)” was carried out at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Instructional cum Research Farm, Raipur (C.G.) during 2021 Rabi season. The main motto was to explore out the effect of different organic treatments of nutrient application on yield and yield attributes of sweet corn crop. Variety ‘Sugar-75’ of sweet corn was taken as the test crop for the experiment. The test crop was sown on 20th December 2021 and the research experiment comprising with 14 treatments of different organic nutrient management combinations with 3 replications in RBD design. The spacing assigned for the crop was 60 x 20 cm. The recommended nutrient dose was 100:60:40 kg ha-1 which was incorporated into soil according to various treatments through organic and inorganic sources. Treatment consists of T1: 150% RDN through FYM, T2: 100% RDN through FYM, T3: 75% RDN through FYM, T4: 50% RDN through FYM, T5: Foliar spray of 20% cow urine at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS, T6: Beejamrit + ghanjeevamrit @ 250 kg ha-1 as basal + jeevamrit @ 500 l ha-1 at 15 days interval, T7: 75% RDN through FYM + foliar spray of 20% cow urine at 15,30,45 and 60 DAS, T8: 75% RDN through FYM + beejamrit + ghanjeevamrit @ 250 kg ha-1 as basal + jeevamrit @ 500 l ha-1 at 15 days interval, T9: 75% RDN through FYM + foliar spray of 20% cow urine at 15,30,45 and 60 DAS + beejamrit + ghanjeevamrit @ 250 kg ha-1 as basal + jeevamrit @ 500 l ha-1 at 15 days interval, T10: 50% RDN through FYM + foliar spray of 20% cow urine at 15,30,45 and 60 DAS, T11: 50% RDN through FYM + beejamrit + ghanjeevamrit @ 250 kg ha-1 as basal + jeevamrit @ 500 l ha-1 at 15 days interval, T12: 50% RDN through FYM + foliar spray of 20% cow urine at 15,30,45 and 60 DAS + beejamrit + ghanjeevamrit @ 250 kg ha-1 as basal + jeevamrit @ 500 l ha-1 at 15 days interval, T13: 100% RDN through inorganic, T14: Control. The results of experiment on response of various organic nutrient management practices showed that number of grains row-1, number of rows cob-1, number of grains cob-1, green cob yield and fodder yield with the incorporation of 75% RDN through FYM + foliar spray of 20% cow urine at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS + beejamrit + ghanjeevamrit @ 250 kg ha-1 as basal + jeevamrit @ 500 l ha-1 at 15 days interval (T9) showed significantly maximum results among organic nutrient treatments although the treatment 100% RDN through inorganic (T13) significantly showed highest values as compared to all other treatments.

APLIKASI JAMUR MIKORIZA ARBUSKULAR DAN PUPUK ANORGANIK PENGARUHNYA PADA PERTUMBUHAN DAN HASIL JAGUNG MANIS

This study aims to determine the effect of the dose of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AM) and the administration of inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of sweet corn. This research was conducted in Kota Bangun Village, Tapung Hilir, Kampar, Riau in June to August 2020. 
 The experimental design used was a completely randomized design consisting of two factors and four replications. The first factor was the dose of AM fungi consisting of 4 levels, namely 0 g / plant, 10 g / plant, 15 g / plant, 20 g / plant. The second factor was the administration of inorganic fertilizer consisting of 4 levels, namely (6 g NPK + 4 g urea)/plant, (4.5 g NPK + 3 urea)/plant, (3 g NPK + 2 g urea)/plant, (1.5 g NPK + 1 g urea)/plant. The observations were analyzed using Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) at a level of 5%, a significantly different among treatment in further tests with Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a level of 5%.
 The results showed that there was no good combination the dose of AM fungi and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of sweet corn crops. The dose of AM fungi 10 g / plant gives a better influence on diameter of stem and the percentage of AM infection, inorganic fertilizer administration dose (6 g NPK + 4 g urea) produces the best cob weight.
 Keywords: Sweet Corn, Mycorrhiza Arbuscular, Inorganic Fertilizer

Strip-tillage decreases soil nitrogen availability and increases the potential for N losses in a cover cropped organic system

Reduced-tillage systems that augment soil inorganic N availability while reducing N losses can improve the nitrogen-use efficiency of cover crop-based organic cropping systems. We conducted a three year full factorial field experiment in the upper Midwest, USA to examine the effects of strip-tillage and a cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop mixture on (1) soil inorganic nitrogen (N) concentrations throughout the growing season, (2) sweet corn (Zea mays L.) crop productivity and N uptake, and (3) potential N loss via denitrification and leaching. We compared full-width tillage (FWT) vs. strip-tillage (ST) with and without a rye-vetch cover crop. ST decreased soil inorganic N concentrations 16–40% compared to FWT, with soil inorganic N higher in the tilled in-row zone compared to the undisturbed between-row zone in 1 of 3 years. The rye-vetch cover crop did not provide a consistent increase in soil inorganic N. ST increased soil leachate N concentrations by ~50% and increased the potential for denitrification by 18% but depressed sweet corn biomass and N contents in only one of three years, when hairy vetch biomass and soil moisture was lowest. We conclude that utilizing ST in combination with a cover crop is not likely to improve N use efficiency or crop yields, and may increase N losses within an organic cover crop-based cropping system.

Effect of transplanting and direct sowing on productive properties and earliness of sweet corn

Sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata [Sturtev.] L.H. Bailey) is a thermophilic crop that is sensitive to cold stress and thus may be cultivated by raising seedlings. The aim of this work was to determine the impact of transplanting and direct sowing on the yield and earliness of the sweet corn crop. The treatment protocol used had a combination of two different cultivation technologies (transplanting and direct sowing) and two different sowing periods (8 and 15 May during both growing seasons). The results show that the different cultivation technologies both had significant effects on the productive properties and earliness of sweet corn. The transplanting variants had about 34% more plants per hectare compared with the direct sowing yield. The ear length and mass were higher in crops grown using transplanting (22.2 cm and 278.0 g, respectively) than in crops grown using direct sowing (21.2 cm and 270.3 g, respectively). During the research period, a significantly higher ear yield was noted in the transplanted variants (11.7 t ha-1) compared with those of direct sowing (7.6 t ha-1). The transplanting variants had earlier harvests by 18 and 16 d in the first and second sowing periods, respectively, compared with those of direct sowing.

The role of ACC deaminase producing bacteria in improving sweet corn (Zea mays L. var saccharata) productivity under limited availability of irrigation water

Accumulation of stress ethylene in plants due to osmotic stress is a major challenge for the achievement of optimum sweet corn crop yield with limited availability of irrigation water. A significant increase in earth’s temperature is also making the conditions more crucial regarding the availability of ample quantity of irrigation water for crops production. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can play an imperative role in this regard. Inoculation of rhizobacteria can provide resistance and adaptability to crops against osmotic stress. In addition, these rhizobacteria also have potential to solve future food security issues. That's why the current study was planned to examine the efficacious functioning of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains on yields and physiological characteristics of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var saccharata) under different levels of irrigation. Three irrigation levels i.e., 100% (I100 no stress), 80% (I80), and 60% (I60) were used during sweet corn cultivation. However, there were four rhizobacteria strains i.e., P. fluorescens P1, P. fluorescens P3, P. fluorescens P8, P. fluorescens P14 which were used in the experiment. The results showed that severe water stress (60% of plant water requirement) decreased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll contents, Fv/Fm ratio and nutrients uptake. A significant increase in F0, Fm, proline, total soluble sugars, catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) activity led to less ear yield and canned seed yield. Combination of four strains significantly increased the yield traits of sweet corn i.e., ear and (44%) and canned seed yield (27%) over control. The highest promoting effect was observed in the combination of four strains treatment and followed by P1 strain in reducing the harmful effects of drought stress and improving sweet corn productivity. However, P14 gave minimum improvement in growth and yield indices under limited availability of water. In conclusion, combination of four strains inoculation is an efficacious approach for the achievement of better yield of sweet corn under osmotic stress.