GROWTH AND YIELD OF BABY CORN AS INFLUENCED BY NITROGEN FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during the period from October-2019 to February 2020 in Rabi season, to find out the performance of baby corn as influenced by management of nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment consisted of two factors, and followed split plot design. Factor A (main plot): Different nitrogen dose viz. N 0 = 0 kg ha -1 , N 1 = 40 kg ha -1 , N 2 = 80 kg ha vi

-1 , N 3 = 120 kg ha -1 and Factor B (sub plot): Nitrogen application method viz. M₁ = Basal, M₂ = Side dressing at 30 DAS and M₃ = 50% basal +50% side dressing at 30 DAS. Among different nitrogen dose, N 3 (120 kg ha -1 ) treatment perform well and recorded the highest (86.22) days to silking, number of cobs plant -1 (3.78), number of cobs ha -1 (100.42 thousands), cob length (14.46 cm), cob circumference (11.69 cm), cob weight plant -1 (31.99 g), dehusked cob weight plant -1 (15.86 g),number of rows cob -1 (10.03), cob yield (13.27 t ha ), biological yield (27.91 t ha -1 ) and harvest index (47.44 %). In case of different application method of nitrogen, the highest number of cobs plant -1 (3.85), number of cobs ha -1 (97.23 thousands), cob length (15.42 cm), cob circumference (11.55 cm), cob weight plant -1 (31.43 g), dehusked cob weight plant -1 (14.89 g), number of rows cob -1 (9.41), cob yield (12.48 t ha -1 ) biological yield (26.77 t ha -1 ) and harvest index (46.39 %) was recorded in M 3 (50% basal + 50% side dressing at 30 DAS) treatment. In case of combined effect, the highest (87.33) days to silking, number of cobs plant

(4.08), number of cobs ha -1 (106.32 thousands), cob length (17.52 cm), cob circumference (12.75 cm), cob weight plant -1 (38.47 g), dehusked cob weight plant

(18.35 g), number of rows cob -1 (10.57), cob yield 1 (15.24 t ha -1 ), stover yield (15.81 t ha -1 ), biological yield (31.05 t ha -1 ) and harvest index (49.03 %) was recorded in N 3 M 3 treatment combination. Thus for cultivation of baby corn, application of 120 kg nitrogen ha -1 as 50% basal and rest of 50% as side dressing at 30 DAS increased the baby corn yield.