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Impacts of Planting Spacing and Nitrogen Level on Growth, Yield and Quality of Baby Corn and Green Fodder from the Same Crop

Sanjoy Kumar Sarker
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Swapan Kumar Paul
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Md. Abdur Rahman Sarkar
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Shubroto Kumar Sarkar
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to investigate the effect of planting spacing and nitrogen levels on yield and quality of baby corn and green fodder. The experiment comprised three plant spacing viz. 45 cm × 30 cm, 45 cm × 20 cm, 45 cm × 10 cm and five nitrogen levels viz. 0, 80, 120, 160 and 200 kg N ha^-1 . The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block (RCB) design with three replications. The highest number of leaves plant^-1, total dry matter plant^-1 at 30 DAS, chlorophyll content at 65 DAS were observed by at 45 cm × 20 cm spacing fertilized with 200 kg N ha^-1 . The highest number of cobs plant^-1 and cob length without husk were recorded in 45 cm × 30 cm which was at par with 45 cm × 20 cm. The highest cob length with husk, cob diameter with husk, cob diameter without husk, cob yield with husk, cob yield without husk, fodder yield and protein content of cob were found at 45 cm × 20 cm spacing while the lowest values were recorded at 45 cm × 10 cm spacing. The highest number of cobs plant^-1 , cob length with husk, cob length without husk, cob diameter with husk, cob yield with husk, cob yield without husk, fodder yield and protein content of cob were observed by at 45 cm × 20 cm spacing fertilized with 200 kg N ha^-1 . Therefore, it may be concluded that planting of baby corn at 45 cm × 20 cm spacing along with application of 200 kg N ha^-1 could be considered for obtaining higher cob yield, cob protein content (%) and green fodder from the same plant.

Keywords: Baby corn, Fodder, Yield, Protein

Location: The Agronomy Field Laboratory, Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-10-2016

End Date: 00-01-2017

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Fodder

Objectives:

To find out the effect of spacing, nitrogen level and their interaction on yield and quality of baby corn and green fodder.

Methodology:

The present piece of research was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, during the period from October 2016 to January 2017 to study the effect of planting spacing and nitrogen on yield and quality of baby corn. The experimental site belongs to the Old Brahmaputra Floodplain Agro-ecological Zone (AEZ-9) having non-calcareous dark gray floodplain soils with silty-loam texture (UNDP and FAO, 1988). The plot was designed with RCB having three plant spacings viz. 45 cm × 30 cm, 45 cm × 20 cm, 45 cm × 10 cm and five nitrogen levels viz. 0, 80, 120, 160 and 200 kg N ha^-1. Thus the number of total plots was 45. The size of each unit plot was 2.7 m × 3.0 m. The distance between plot to plot and block to block was 0.50 m, 0.75 m, respectively. The land was first opened with power tiller on 10 October 2016 and laid out in the field on 28 October 2016. Seeds were sown on 2 November 2016 as per experimental spacing by opening 3-4 cm deep furrows and seedlings emerged out within 6-8 days after sowing (DAS). Gap filling was done at 25 DAS maintaining desired number of plant(s) hill^-1. Nitrogen was applied as the form of urea. One third urea was applied as basal during final land preparation and the rest part was top dressed in two equal splits at 25 and 45 DAS, respectively. Weeding was done two times, first at 25 DAS, second at 40 DAS. Irrigation was done twice after topdressing of urea at 25 and 45 DAS. Row-wise detasseling was carried soon after tassel emergence in order to maintain quality of baby corn. The green cobs were removed on alternate days within 2-3 days of silk emergence from each plot by leaving border and penultimate rows. Baby corn was harvested on 25 January 2017 (82 DAS). Data on the following plant characters, yield and yield components were collected from the sample plants of each plot. At harvest, the heights of five randomly selected plants were measured from the base of the plant to the tip of the flag leaf. Plant height was recorded in cm and mean value of five plants for each plot was calculated. Number of fresh leaves plant^-1 were recorded from five sample plants from each plot and counted. One plant was randomly selected in the sampling row from each plot. These samples were washed and dried in an electric oven for 72 hours maintaining a constant temperature of 70⁰ C. After drying, weight of each sample was recorded. Total dry matter accumulation plant^-1 was measured at 30, 50 and 65 DAS. Determination of Soil-Plant-Analysis Development (SPAD) value has been used as an indirect indicator of crop N status. Chlorophyll meter values (SPAD) were taken using a portable SPAD meter (Model SPAD-502, Minolta crop, Ramsey, NJ) starting from 30 DAS with 20-day interval from the marked plants and taken thrice as 30, 50, and 65 DAS. The number of young cobs harvested from the five randomly selected plants in each plot was recorded separately and then average number of baby corn cobs plant-1 was worked out. The length of five randomly selected young cobs of each plot was measured with and without husk from top to bottom of the cob with meter scale and the mean length cob-1 with and without husk was determined in centimeters (cm). The cumulative weight of young cobs with husk and without husk harvested from each plot in all pickings was recorded in kilograms and then converted on hectare basis in t ha^-1. The baby corn plants were then cut immediately from ground level with the help of sickles and then weighed to determine the green fodder yield in t ha^-1. Protein percent of leaf and cob are measured by chemical analysis. Total N content was determined from the various varieties of maize (hybrid and composite) of each treatment by modified MicroKjeldahl method. The method consists of three steps; digestion, distillation, titration. The collected data were compiled and tabulated in proper form and were subjected to statistical analysis. Data were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique with the help of computer package program MSTAT-C and mean differences were adjudged by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (Gomez and Gomez, 1984).

Source of Information: J Bangladesh Agril Univ 18(1): 55–60, 2020

Article Link (Online Journal): https://doi.org/10.5455/JBAU.81179

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The highest cob length with husk, cob diameter with husk, cob diameter without husk, cob yield with husk, cob yield without husk, fodder yield and protein content of cob were found at 45 cm × 20 cm spacing while the lowest values were recorded at 45 cm × 10 cm spacing. The highest number of leaves plant^-1, total dry matter (TDM) at 30 DAS, chlorophyll content at 65 DAS, number of cobs plant^-1 , cob length with husk, cob length without husk, cob diameter with husk, cob yield with husk, cob yield without husk, fodder yield and protein content of cob were observed by at 45 cm × 20 cm spacing fertilized with 200 kg N ha^-1. It may be concluded that baby corn can be cultivated at 45 cm × 20 cm spacing fertilized with 200 kg N ha^-1 to obtain higher cob yield, quality of cob and green fodder from the same plant.

Knowledge Management: Journal