Influence of irrigation and mulches on the yield attributes and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata L.) Grown in Konkan region of Maharashtra

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation methods, irrigation regimes and mulches on the performance of rabi sweet corn on lateritic soil of coastal region of Maharashtra during rabi season of years 2014-15 and 2015-16. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four main plot and five sub plot treatments. The main plot treatments comprised of four combinations of irrigation methods and irrigation levels viz., Drip irrigation with 100 % water requirement, Drip irrigation with 75 % water requirement, Check basin irrigation with 100 % water requirement and Check basin irrigation with 75 % water requirement. The five sub plot treatments consisted different types of mulches viz., No mulch i.e. control, Paddy straw mulch, Black polythene mulch, transparent polythene mulch and Silver polythene mulch. Thus, there were twenty treatment combinations, replicated thrice. Results in the pooled mean data revealed that, the sweet corn crop grown under drip irrigation with 100 % water requirement recorded higher yield attributes resulting into significantly higher green cob and green fodder yield over all other treatments. The black polythene mulch recorded significantly higher mean plant height, mean number of functional leaves and stem girth than the other treatments in the pooled data. The significantly higher dry matter accumulation was recorded under black polythene mulch followed by silver and transparent polythene mulch. Also, black polythene mulch produced significantly highest yields and yield attributes as compared to the rest of the mulches. Treatment combination drip irrigation with 100 % water requirement along with black polythene mulch recorded significantly higher plant height at harvest in the pooled data.