Evaluation of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata) cv Sugar 75 for livelihood security in mid central table land zone of Odisha

Abstract

The study was carried out through front line demonstrations during rabi season of 2017-18 in mid central table land zone of Odisha with an objective to evaluate the performances of hybrid sweet corn variety (Sugar 75) as compared to the farmer’s practice (common maize) for livelihood security. The sweet corn (Sugar 75) recorded higher plant height (152.4 cm), no of cobs plant-1(1.35), grains cob-1(450.6) and weight of cob (295.6 g) than common maize. The same also produced green cob yield (152.5 q ha-1), green fodder yield (190.3 q ha-1), harvest index (44.5%) and grain yield 48.3 q ha-1 which is 36.1% higher than common maize. Sweet corn (Sugar 75) gave higher gross return Rs. 132450.0 ha-1 with a benefit-cost ratio 2.81, profitability (Rs.232.7 ha-1 day-1) and additional net return Rs. 64382.5 ha-1 as compared to farmers practice and the study showed that horizontal spread of area from 0.8 to 12.0 hectare under improved technology with technological gap, extension gap and technology index; 41.7 q ha-1, 12.8 q ha-1, 46.3% respectively. Thus, the existing common maize can be replaced by sweet corn (Sugar 75) for higher productivity, profitability and livelihood security.