GREEN FODDER AND COB YIELD OF SWEET CORN (ZEA MAYS. L. SSP. SACCHARATA) VARIETIES AT VARYING FERTILITY LEVELS

GREEN FODDER AND COB YIELD OF SWEET CORN (ZEA MAYS. L. SSP. SACCHARATA) VARIETIES AT VARYING FERTILITY LEVELS

 M. SUTHAR1, D. SINGH2*, V. NEPALIA3

Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology
Udaipur, Rajasthan-313 001 (India)
*(e-mail : dilipagron@gmail.com)
(Received : 28 March, 2013, Accepted : 20 July2013

SUMMARY

A field experiment entitled ‘Green fodder and cob yield of sweet corn (Zea mays. L. Ssp. saccharata) varieties at varying fertility levels was conducted at Instructional Farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur during kharif 2011, with objective to evaluate production potential of sweet corn varieties under prevailing agro-climatic conditions and to work out optimum fertilizer dose for sweet corn varieties. The treatment consisted of combinations of four sweet corn varieties (‘Sugar 75’, ‘Win orange’, ‘Madhuri’ and ‘Bright Jean’) and four fertility levels (70 + 30, 90 + 40, 110 + 50 and 130 + 60 kg N + P2O5/ha). With highest green fodder (26.54t/ha) and green cob yield (12.66 t/ha) ‘Sugar-75’ proved best and economically profitable (Net returns Rs.127817 ha-1 and BC ratio 6.0) compared to rest of varieties. Quality of grain of ‘Sugar-75’ estimated in terms of nutrient uptake, protein content, total soluble solids (TSS), moisture content and total digestive nutrient (TDN) content, and protein content green fodder proved best compared to other varieties. Application of 90 kg N + 40 kg P2O5/ha recorded significantly higher green cob (9.97 t/ha) green fodder (19.97 t/ha) yield over 70 kg N + 30 kg P2O5/ha and proved economically beneficial compared to its lower level. TSS content of grain and TDN of green fodder did not influenced significantly under fertilizer levels, however, moisture content and protein content of cobs responded significantly up to 90 kg N + 40 kg P2O5/ ha.

Key words: Sweet corn, Fertilizer, Green cob & fodder yield, quality and economics.

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