Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

RESPONSE OF DIFFERENT SWEET CORN (ZEA MAYS SACCHARATA STURT) HYBRIDS TO VARIOUS FERTILIZER LEVELS IN KHARIF SEASON

N.H. Thorat, A.S. Dhonde, D.N. Shelar and A.B. Mohite

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2013 at the Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Kolhapur on sandy clay loam soil to study the response of different sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt) hybrids to various fertilizer levels in kharif season. Among the different hybrids Sugar 75 recorded significantly the highest growth characteristics viz, plant height, number of functional leaves plant-1, leaf area plant-1, dry matter production plant-1, green cob and green fodder yields and also higher uptake of nutrients by sweet corn as compared to other hybrids. However, hybrid Misthi was at par with hybrid Sugar 75 in respect of number of functional leaves plant-1, leaf area plant-1, dry matter production plant-1 and nutrient uptake except plant height, green cob and green fodder yield. The application of 150% RDF (180:90:60 kg NPK ha-1) significantly produced higher values of growth and yield attributes resulting in significant increase in green cob and green fodder yield and nutrient uptake by sweet corn than other fertilizer levels however it was at par with 125% RDF (150:75:50 kg NPK ha-1). It would be therefore, advisable to apply 125% RDF (150:75:50 kg NPK ha-1) to sweet corn.