Open AccessEffect of Zinc Fertilization on Physiological Parameters, Nutrient Uptake, Yield and Economics of Babycorn
Author(s) -
Tamil Amutham G,
R. Karthikeyan,
N. Thavaprakaash,
C. Bharathi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
madras agricultural journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2582-5321
pISSN - 0024-9602
DOI - 10.29321/maj.10.000497
Subject(s) - kharif crop , zinc , randomized block design , field experiment , nutrient , agronomy , human fertilization , mathematics , crop yield , crop , soil fertility , yield (engineering) , horticulture , chemistry , soil water , biology , environmental science , soil science , physics , organic chemistry , thermodynamics
A field experiment was conducted during late Kharif (September-November) of the year 2018 at Eastern Block Farm, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to find out the effect of agronomic bio-fortification with zinc on physiological parameters, nutrient uptake, yield and economics of babycorn under irrigated condition. The field experiment was laid in randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments comprised of T1: No zinc (control), T2: Zinc Sulphate (ZnSO4) at 25 kgha-1 as soil application, T3: ZnSO4 at 37.5 kgha-1 as soil application, T4: Foliar spray of ZnSO4 at 0.5% on 20 and 40 DAS, T5: Foliar spray of ZnSO4 at 1.0% on 20 and 40 DAS, T6: ZnSO4 at 25 kgha-1 as soil application + foliar spray at 0.5% on 20 and 40 DAS, T7 : ZnSO4 at 25 kgha-1 as soil application + foliar spray at 1.0% on 20 and 40 DAS, T8: ZnSO4 at 37.5 kgha-1 as soil application + foliar spray at 0.5% on 20 and 40 DAS, T9: ZnSO4 at 37.5 kgha-1 as soil application + foliar spray at 1.0% on 20 and 40 DAS. Babycorn hybrid G-5414 was used to experiment with a plant spacing of 45 cm x 25 cm. The results showed that the combined application of zinc sulphate @ 37.5 kgha-1 with 0.5% foliar spray at 20 and 40 DAS recorded significantly higher Crop Growth Rate (CGR) (31.07, 30.83) gcm-2day-1, Relative Growth Rate (RGR) (110.25, 31.67) mgg-1day-1 and Net Assimilation Rate (NAR) (9.65, 4.54) mgcm-2day-1 at 25-45 DAS and 45 DAS - harvest intervals respectively. NPK uptake was recorded higher in (T8) and green cob yield was recorded higher in (T9) at harvest stage. Green fodder yield and higher benefit cost ratio was obtained higher with soil application of zinc sulphate @ 37.5 kgha-1 with 0.5% foliar spray at 20 and 40 DAS.