Vol. 11, Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
BR Gondaliya, KD Desai, TR Ahlawat, RM Mangroliya and JV Mandaliya

Abstract:
An investigation was carried out on “Effect of chemicals on growth, yield and quality of baby corn (Zea mays L.)” at Horticulture Polytechnic, ACHF, NAU, Navsari, Gujarat, India during Summer 2020. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with eight treatments viz., T₁: GA₃ 40 ppm; T₂: NAA 40 ppm; T₃: mepiquat chloride 200 ppm; T₄: cycocel 200 ppm; T₅: paclobutrazol (PBZ) 200 ppm; T₆: putrescine 50 ppm; T₇: PBZ 200 ppm Seed soaking and T₈: Control which, were replicated thrice. All the chemicals were applied as foliar spray at 30 DAS, except T₇ treatment. In this treatment seeds were soaked on previous day in PBZ 200 ppm for three hours and kept in shade. The results revealed that maximum plant height at 45 DAS (147.87 cm), at 60 DAS (239.47 cm) and at last harvest (244.47 cm) was recorded with the application of GA₃ 40 ppm. Reflective effect of foliar application of mepiquat chloride 200 ppm was detected in getting higher yield parameters viz., cob weight (42.660 g plant^-1) and cob yield (2.593 t ha^-1) without husk. Number of cobs (3.53 plant^-1) were found maximum with application of GA₃ 40 ppm. Application of PBZ 200 ppm seed soaking improved cob yield with husk (15.703 t ha^-1) whereas, maximum green fodder yield (43.14 t ha^-1) was obtained with the application of NAA 40 ppm. Effect of different chemicals on days required for 50% silking, plant height at 45 DAS, cob length and girth as well as harvest index from dry cobs were found non-significant.