Vol. 10, Issue 12 (2021)

Author(s):
G Balaji Rahul and Dr. Joydawson

Abstract:
The field experiment was conducted during zaid season of 2021 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P). The soil of the experiment plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.2), low in organic carbon (0.72%), available N (278.48 kg/ha), available P (27.80 kg/ha) and available K (233.24 kg/ha). The treatments consisted of three levels of zinc (5, 10 and 15 kg/ha) and three spacings (30 cm x 20 cm, 40 cm x 20 cm and 50 m x 20 cm) and one control plot, respectively. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with ten treatments and were replicated thrice. Results defined that number of leaves (11.07/plant), dry weight (112.08 g/plant), cobs (1.67/plant), cob length (18.13 cm), cob girth (8.78 cm), cob weight (with husk) (55.47 g) and cob weight (without husk) (24.14 g) were recorded maximum with application of 15 kg/ha + 50 cm x 20 cm treatment combination. However, plant height (173.05 cm), cob yield (with husk) (12.47 t/ha), cob yield (without husk) (4.69t/ha), green fodder yield (23.18 t/ha) and harvest index (35.73%) were obtained highest in the treatment combination of 15 kg/ha + 30 cm x 20 cm, respectively. Maximum gross returns (Rs. 2, 10,611.90/ha), net returns (Rs. 1, 43,468.90/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.14) were obtained highest in the treatment combination of Zn at 15 kg/ha + 30 cm x 20 cm. whereas, lowest gross returns (Rs. 1, 76,795.11/ha), net returns (Rs.1, 17,930.11/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1.92) were noticed in control plot.