Effect of planting geometry and integrated nitrogen management on growth and green cob yield of sweet corn. (Zea mays L. saccharata) var. sakata-16

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season 2017 on sweet corn crop (var. Sakata-16) at the Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural Institute, SHUATS, Allahabad (U.P.). The soil of the experiment plot was sandy loam in texture, neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.5), low organic carbon (0.281), available P (12.4), E.C (0.325), available K (163.8). The treatment comprised of three planting geometries viz. 60 cm row to row spacing, but three different plant to plant spacings viz., 20cm, 25cm and 30cm and three integrated nitrogen management treatments viz. 90 kg nitrogen/ha provided through urea and 30 kg nitrogen/ha provided either through poultry manure (PM), Farm Yard Manure (FYM) or through Vermicompost (VC), which were tried with and without Azospirillum seed innoculation. Thus the experiment consisted of 18 treatment combinations, replicated thrice. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design. The experimental results recorded maximum green cob yield (6.77 t ha-1), green fodder yield (15.63 t ha-1), maximum net return of ₹99881.45 and B.C. ratio 2.80 under 60cm x 20cm spacing and 90 kg N through (urea) + 30kg N through (Poultry Manure) + Azospirillum (seed inoculation).