Integrated nitrogen management on green fodder yield and quality of sweet corn hybrid

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi 2014-2015 on clay loam soil at irrigated upland farms of Eastern block, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the effect of integrated nitrogen management on green fodder yield and quality of sweet corn hybrid. The experiment was replicated thrice, with 12 treatments comprising integration of organic manures viz., FYM, vermicompost, poultry manure, goat manure and biogas slurry at 2 levels (25 and 50 percent) with inorganic N at 75 and 50 per cent. The remaining two treatments were 100 per cent N as inorganic fertilizer and 100 per cent N as inorganic fertilizers with 12.5 t ha-1 of FYM. Higher green fodder (27.1 t ha-1) was recorded with plots treated with 25 per cent N as poultry manure + 75 per cent N as inorganic fertilizer due to superior growth and higher nitrogen uptake. Application of 25 per cent N as poultry manure in combination with 75 per cent N as inorganic fertilizer recorded maximum crude protein content, crude fibre content and their yield which was comparable with 25 per cent N as goat manure and 75 per cent N as inorganic fertilizers application.