Effect of Different Levels of Irrigation, Nitrogen and Foliar Application of Banana Pseudostem Sap on Drip Irrigated Sweet Corn - Green Gram Cropping Sequence

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi seasons of 2015-16 to 2017-18 at Soil and Water Management Research Unit farm, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari to evaluate the effect of different levels of irrigation, nitrogen and foliar application of banana pseudostem sap on drip irrigated sweet corn and their residual effect on succeeding green gram under south Gujarat conditions. Significantly higher cob weight, no. of grains per cob and cob yield (16.6 t/ha) were recorded with I2 (0.8 PEF) while significantly higher cob length, cob girth, cob weight, no. of grains per cob and cob yield (15.9 t/ha) were recorded with N3 (140 kg N/ha). Application of banana pseudostem sap (S2) significantly affected on cob weight, no. of grains per cob and cob yield as well as fresh fodder yield of sweet corn. Significantly higher cob yield (16.4 t/ha) of sweet corn was recorded with interaction between 120 kg N/ha (N2) along with foliar application of banana pseudostem sap (S2) @ 1 %. In succeeding green gram crop, higher grain yield was recorded with I3N3 (1 PEF along with 140 kg N/ha) and I3S2 (1 PEF and application of 1% banana pseudostem sap) in interaction effect. Treatment I2 (0.8 PEF) recorded maximum sweet corn equivalent yield (18.55 t/ha), net returns ( 128440/ha) and B:C ratio (3.01), while an application of 140 kg N/ha (N3) noted highest sweet corn equivalent yield (17.74 t/ha), net returns ( 122898/ha) and B:C ratio (2.87). Moreover, foliar application of banana pseudostem sap recorded highest sweet corn equivalent yield (17.12 t/ha), net returns ( 116741/ha) and B:C ratio (2.68) over control.