Growth Analysis of Baby Corn (Zea mays L.) Under the Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most versatile crop having wider adaptability in varied ecologies. Presently baby corn is gaining popularity among Indian farming communities mainly due to its short duration, high market rate, nutritive value and also its multiuse. Baby corn requires higher population and plant nutrition than normal grain corn. Therefore the nutrient management is of immense importance for higher corn production. The present study was thus carried out during Kharif season 2015 at the Instructional Dairy Farm (IDF), Nagla, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand to analyse the growth of baby corn under the effect of integrated nutrient management. The experimental design was Randomized Block Design with 11 treatments consisting of sole application of NPK fertilizer, sole application of Azotobacter and Azospirillum, and application of Azotobacter and Azospirillum along with NPK fertilizer. The study revealed that Leaf area index was significantly higher at 50 DAS and harvest under 100% NPK+Azot+Azos. Application of 75% NPK+Azot+Azos had significantly higher at 25-50 DAS while 100% NPK+Azot+Azos gave significantly higher at 50 DAS – harvest. The values remained non significant at both the stages, however the highest was recorded at application of 100% NPK+Azot+Azos. The remained non significant at 25 – 50 DAS but at 50 DAS – harvest, the values recorded significantly higher at 100% NPK+Azot+Azos that remained non significant with all the treatments except control and seed treatment with Azotobacter. The too was recorded non significant by different integrated nutrient management practices at 25-50 DAS but at 50 DAS-harvest, the significantly highest was recorded under control, whereas the lowest was found at application of 100% NPK that remained statistically at par with all other treatments except control. Higher dose of nitrogen coupled with biofertilizers improved the plant growth.