Influence of fertility levels and zinc fertilization on yield performance and nutrient dynamics of baby corn and hybrids in Southern-Rajasthan

A 2-years field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2019 and 2020 at Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agricultural and Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur, to evaluate the performance of baby corn hybrids under varying fertility levels and zinc fertilization. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The treatments included 2 baby corn hybrids (HM 4 and Pratap Hybrid Maize-3), three fertility levels [125:60:50, 150:70:60, and 175:80:70 kg N, P2O5, and K2O/ha], and three zinc levels [5.0 kg Zn/ha; 3.75 kg Zn/ha + Zn solubilizing bacteria (ZnSB); and 2.5 kg Zn/ha + ZnSB]. The results revealed significant differences in yield and quality attributes across fertility levels and hybrids. On a pooled data basis, hybrid HM-4 recorded higher yields and nutrient uptake compared to ‘PHM 3’, with increases of 15.35%, 15.32%, 15.26% and 15.28% in baby cob, baby corn, green fodder, and biological yield, respectively, along with 27.07%, 26.31%, 24.52% and 21.16% higher total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Fertility level F2 noted significant increases of 5.96%, 6.59%, 6.20% and 5.89% in baby cob,green fodder, and biological yields, respectively, over F1. Nutrient uptake by baby corn also improved under F2, with increases of 10.95%, 10.58%, 10.70% and 10.63% in total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, respectively. Similarly, zinc application at Z1 enhanced baby cob, green fodder, and biological yields by 10.37%, 10.35%, 10.31% and 10.32%, respectively, compared to Z3. The maximum yield and nutrient (N, P, K, Zn) content and uptake were recorded with the 150: 70: 60 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha + 5.0 kg/ha Zn fertilization with HM-4 which significantly outperformed ‘PHM 3’.