Effect of NPK, biofertilizer and zinc foliar nutrition on growth and growth attributes of babycorn (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of NPK, Zinc, biofertilizers and zinc foliar nutrition on growth and growth attributes of baby corn (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with thirteen treatments combination viz. T1( Control), T2(75% RDF + 5 kg Zn ha-1+ Azotobacter), T3(75% RDF + 0.2% Zn + Azotobacter), T4(75% RDF + 0.5% Zn + Azotobacter), T5(90% RDF + 5 kg Zn ha-1+ Azotobacter), T6 (90% RDF + 0.2% Zn + Azotobacter), T7(90% RDF + 0.5% Zn + Azotobacter), T8(75% RDF + 5 kg Zn ha-1+ Azospirillum), T9(75% RDF + 0.2% Zn + Azospirillum), T10(75% RDF + 0.5% Zn + Azospirillum), T11(90% RDF + 5 kg Zn ha-1+ Azospirillum), T12(90% RDF + 0.2% Zn + Azospirillum) and T13(90% RDF + 0.5% Zn + Azospirillum) in three replications. In general, application of different levels of NPK, basal and foliar application of zinc along with seed treatment of babycorn with Azatobacter and Azospirillum significantly influenced the growth and growth attributes of babycorn. Statistically significantly higher average plant height (82.19cm), number of leaves per plant (8.45), dry matter production per plant (57.01g) and leaf area (1903.05 cm2) were recorded in treatment T11 due to application of 90% RDF + 5kg Zn ha-1 + Azospirillum at different crop growth stages as compared to rest of the treatments. Furthermore, chlorophyll concentration before and after tasselling were significantly influenced by different treatments, among the treatments application of 90% RDF + 5kg Zn ha-1 + Azospirillum registered significantly higher chlorophyll concentration before tasselling (92.93%) and after tasselling (48.61%) as compared to other treatments. However, application of 90% RDF + 5kg Zn ha-1 along with Azospirillum recorded less number of days to tasselling (47.67) as compared to other treatments. While, the lowest value for growth and growth attributes were recorded in control treatment.