MATERIALS AND METHODS

The field experiment on Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth,

yield and quality of baby corn (Zea mays L.) was conducted at the Students Research
Farm, Shree Dev Bhoomi Institute of Education Science and Technology, Dehradun
during the Kharif season of 2016. The climate, soil condition, design of experiment,
material used and procedure followed during the course of investigation are described as
under:

LOCATION AND CLIMATE

Dehradun is located at 410 North latitude and 440 East longitude and at an altitude
of 660 metres above mean sea level. This tract is characterized by Sub Tropic climate,
where both winters and summers are extreme. A maximum temperature of about 410-420
C is not uncommon during summer, while freezing temperature is accompanied by frost
occurrence in the months of December and January. The monsoon generally starts in first
week of July and the mean annual rainfall fluctuates around 1170 mm, the major part of
which is received during the months of July to September with a few showers rains
during winter months.

WEATHER DURING CROP GROWTH

The meteorological data recorded of Dehradun city during the crop growth season
in year 2014 has been presented in Table 3.1 and Figure 3.1 (Anon., 2014). Maximum
temperature ranged between 35.00 and 46.40 C while minimum temperature ranged
between 23.00 and 32.20 C. Maximum mean temperature 38.40 C was recorded in the 28th
week in July and minimum mean temperature 29.70 C was recorded in 38th week in
September. While, the maximum mean humidity 56.3 per cent was recorded in 33rd week
in August and minimum mean humidity 35.7 per cent was recorded in 28th week in July.
Moreover, maximum precipitation 41.1 mm was recorded in the 38th week in August,
while minimum precipitation 0.5 was recorded in 28th week in July. Maximum wind
speed 6.14 km hr-1 was recorded in the 29th week in July and minimum wind speed 2.1
km hr-1 was recorded in the 38th week in September.

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Table 3.1: Weekly mean meteorological data recorded during the crop season
(August-September 2014).

Month Weeks Mean Maximum Minimum Mean Wind Rainfall

Temperature Temperature Temperature Humidity Speed (mm)
(0C) (0C) (0C) (%) (km
hr-1)
28 38.7 46.4 32.2 35.7 6.14 10.4
July

29 36.8 43.5 30.4 38.4 5.52 0.5

30 35.3 43.5 38.4 51 4.15 20.5
31 36.3 43.4 29.4 48.5 4.07 6
32 35.4 43.0 28.4 48.3 4.0 12
33 35.0 42.8 30.2 56.3 3.7 15
August

34 34.2 35.0 26.5 48.2 2.9 3.2

35 33.4 34.7 24.2 52 4.3 18.6
36 36.1 34.5 24.0 47.7 4.1 6.2
September

37 32.1 34.5 23.3 53.1 3.0 11.0

38 29.7 35.0 26.7 49.2 2.1 41.1

Source: www.worldweather.com

SOIL ANALYSIS

To assess the basic physico-chemical properties of soil (Table 3.2), representative

soil samples from four random places were taken from 0-15 cm depth before the sowing
of crop. The samples collected from field were air dried in the shade, ground, sieved
through 2.0 mm sieve and subjected to mechanical and chemical analysis to determine
fertility status and texture of the experimental field. The soil of the experimental field
was categorized as sandy loam. The soil tested low in organic carbon and available
nitrogen (N). However, available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) status were high.
The soil pH and electrical conductivity values were within the normal range.

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 Table 3.2: Physico-chemical properties of the experimental field soil.

Soil depth
Soil Character Rating Method used
(0-15 cm)

Mechanical analysis

Sand (per cent) 74.30

Silt (per cent) 13.10

International Pipette method (Piper,
Clay (per cent) 72.60 1966)

Sandy
Textural class
loam

Chemical analysis

pH 7.8 Normal Beckmans Glass Electrode pH Meter in

1:2 soil-water suspension (Jackson and
Prihar, 1967)

Electrical 0.32 Normal Solubridge Conductivity Meter in 1:2

conductivity (mhos soil-water suspension (Jackson and
cm-2) at 250C Prihar, 1967)

Organic carbon (per 0.29 Low Walkley and Blacks Rapid Titration
cent) Method (Piper, 1966)

Available N (kg ha-1) 178 Low Modified Alkaline Potassium

Permanganate Method (Subbiah and
Asija, 1956)

Available P (kg ha-1) 25.5 High 0.5 N Sodium Bicarbonate Extractable P

by Olsens Method (Olsen et al., 1954)

Available K (kg ha-1) 330 High 1 N Ammonium Acetate Extractable K

(Jackson and Prihar, 1967)

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CROPPING HISTORY

Cropping history of experimental field is given below in Table 3.3.

Table 3.3: Cropping history of the experimental field.

Year Crop season

Kharif Rabi
2014-15 Rice Wheat
2015-16 Rice Mustard
2017 Baby corn (experimental
crop)

EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS AND LAYOUT

The experiment was carried out in Complete randomized block design (RBD)
having 7 treatments with four replications as shown in Figure 3.2:

Treatments

Symbol Treatment

T1 - Control

T2 - 100 per cent of recommended N

T3 - 5 tonnes of FYM ha-1 + 100 kg inorganic N ha-1

T4 - 10 tonnes of FYM ha-1 + 75 kg inorganic N ha-1

T5 - 15 tonnes of FYM ha-1 + 50 kg inorganic N ha-1

T6 - 20 tonnes of FYM ha-1 + 25 kg inorganic N ha-1

T7 - 25 tonnes of FYM ha-1

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Methodology

Number of treatments : 7

Number of replications : 4

Total number of plots : 7 4 = 28

Experimental Design : Randomized Block Design

Gross plot size : 4.2m 4.2m

Net plot size : 3m 3m

Variety : PMH-1

AGRONOMIC PRACTICES

The details of the important agronomic practices followed during the

experiment from seed bed preparation to the harvesting of crop are given below:

Preparatory tillage

The field was ploughed and given pre-sowing irrigation. When the field reached
at the optimum moisture conditions, it was ploughed four times with tractor drawn
cultivator followed by planking.

Seed bed preparation and FYM application

After the preparatory tillage, field was divided into 28 different plots of 4.2m
4.2m size. All treatment combinations were applied randomly as per layout plan in each
replication. The plots having integrated nutrient management were applied with well
decomposed FYM before 15 days of sowing the crop.

Sowing

The pre treated seeds of variety PMH-1 were sown by kera method in between the
rows by using corn seed at the rate of 16 kg ha-1 with a spacing of 20 30 cm on 17th
July 2014.

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Fertilizer application

Half dose of nitrogen was applied at the time of sowing to all the plots as per
treatment. Remaining half dose of nitrogen was applied at 30 DAS. Nitrogen was given
in the form of Urea.

Table 3.4: Dates of Important Agronomic Operations Carried out During Crop

Growth

Date Agronomic Operations

17-07-15 Sowing of Crop

24-07-15 1st Irrigation

04-08-15 2nd Irrigation

07-08-15 Spray of Insecticide

10-08-15 1st Weeding

13-08-15 3rd Irrigation

16-09-15 Fertilizer Application

24-08-15 4th Irrigation

03-09-15 2nd Weeding

04-09-15 5th Irrigation

12-09-15 6th Irrigation

15-09-15 Picking of Baby Cobs Started

24-09-15 Fodder Harvesting

Weeding and hoeing

The field was kept free from weeds by manual hoeing which was done on 10
August (23 DAS) and 3 September 2014 (46 DAS).

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Irrigation

Total six irrigations were given as per water requirements of the crop.

Plant protection measures taken

The crop was sprayed with the Fenvalrate @ 100mlha-1 to save the crop from the
attack of the Maize Borer after three weeks of sowing.

Harvesting

Immature cobs (baby corn) were harvested at 2-3 days after silk emergence stage.
Crop was harvested in three pickings manually. The crop was ready to 1st harvest within
61 DAS. Harvested cobs were marketed as fresh after dehusking. The crop was harvested
as green fodder after the completion of cob picking and sold to a dairy farmer.

EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS RECORDED

To assess the effect of various treatments, different plant characters were

studied which are mentioned below:

Plant height

The plant height of five randomly selected plants from each plot was measured
from soil surface to the base of the top most leaf. The initial observation was recorded
at 15 DAS and subsequent observations were recorded at 30, 45 and 60 DAS. The
average plant height calculated in cm from five plants was put to statistical analysis.

Number of leaves per plant

Average numbers of leaves per plant from five randomly selected plants were
counted at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS.

Leaf area index

Leaf area of five randomly selected plants was recorded from each plot at 15,
30, 45 and 60 DAS. Leaf area index was calculated by dividing leaf area with ground
area of plant as given below:

Leaf area (cm) 2

Leaf area index (LAI)
Ground area (cm) 2

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Dry matter accumulation

Five plants were periodically harvested at 15 days interval from soil surface
from each plot and sun dried, and then, kept in oven at 65 0 C upto a constant weight
was achieved. After drying in the oven, dry weight of plants was recorded and
converted into q ha -1.

Number of days taken to baby corn formation

It is the number of days taken from sowing to initiation of cob formation. The
five randomly selected plants were regularly observed for recording the number of
days taken from sowing to cob formation.

Number of cobs per plant

Numbers of cobs from five randomly selected plants in each plot were counted
and average numbers of cobs per plant were calculated from it.

Baby corn length

Length of baby cobs of five randomly selected cobs in each plot was recorded
and then average length of the cobs per plant in cm was calculated.

Baby corn girth

Average girth of baby corn cob in each plot was measured in cm from five
randomly selected cobs after harvesting.

Green cob weight

Weight of green cobs (with husk) was recorded from the five randomly
selected cobs in each plot separately and then average green cob weight in grams (g)
was calculated.

Baby cob weight

Weight of baby cob (without husk) was recorded from five randomly selected
cobs in each plot separately and then average baby cob weight in grams (g) was
calculated.

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Baby corn yield

After harvesting of the crop, green cobs were dehusked and weight of
dehusked baby corn yield per plot was recorded and converted into quintal per
hectare.

Green fodder yield

After harvesting of green fodder, its weight was recorded separately from net
plot sown area and then converted into quintal per hectare.

TSS and protein content in baby corn

After harvesting samples were sent to the laboratory of Food-technology

department of Guru Nanak Dev University Dehradun for analysis of TSS and Protein
content in baby corn. Where TSS of five random samples of baby corn from each plot
was analyzed by using hand refractometer and for protein content nitrogen in samples
was analyzed by Kjeldhal method and it was multiplied by universal factor 6.25 and
protein content percentage was obtained.

Benefit:Cost ratio

Additional cost involved and returns obtained with different treatments was
worked out on the basis of market rate of all applied inputs during experimentation on
per hectare basis. The benefit:cost ratio is computed on the basis of formula given
below:

Total income
B : C ratio
Total cos t of cultivatio n

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STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Recorded data was analyzed statistically as per randomized block design

(Cochran and Cox, 1963), using CPCS-1 software developed by the department of
Mathematics and Statistics, PAU, Ludhiana. The comparisons were made at five per cent
level of significance. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) is as in the Table 3.4:

Table 3.5: Analysis of variance.

Source of variation Degree of freedom

Replications 3

Treatments 6

Error 18

Total 28

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