Response of hybrid sweet corn (Zea mays saccaharata) to fertility levels with and without gibberellin on production potential and economics in Southern Odisha

The field experiment was taken over at Campus Farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha, India in winter season during 2018-2019 in acidic sandy clay loam soil with low in available N and medium in available P2O5, K2O and S. All together eight treatments combination comprised of 100% recommended fertilizer dose (120-60-60 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha) and 125% recommended fertilizer dose (150-75-75 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha) with 0 and 30 kg S/ha conjugated with gibberellin @100 g/ ha and without gibberellin were tested in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Experimental results revealed that the NPK levels with sulphur significantly influenced the crop growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves/plant and leaf area index and yield parameters like cob length, weight along with green cob and forage yield. The number of cobs/plant and girth of cob were not remarkably affected by fertility levels. Application of 125% recommended dose of fertilizer + 30 kg S/ha recorded the highest cob (15.34 t/ha) and green forage (25.13 t/ha) yield. The foliar spraying of gibberellin @ 100 g/ha exerted significant effect on plant height and leaf area index and cob weight along with green cob and forage yield. But it failed to exhibit significant effect on number of leaves and cobs/plant and cob length and girth. The significant augmentation in green cob (14.86 t/ha) and forage yield (24.07 t/ha) was observed with application of gibberellin @100 g/ ha over no gibberellin. The use of 125% recommended fertilizer dose + 30 kg S/ha recorded the maximum net return (Rs. 237273/ ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.51) followed by 125% recommended fertilizer dose without sulphur recording the corresponding values of Rs. 225006/ha and 2.45, respectively. The net profit (Rs. 226979/ha) and B: C ratio (2.41) were enhanced with application of gibberellin @ 100 g /ha over no gibberellin.