Abstract

                                A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam during Purattasipattam (September - October) of 2017 to study the effect of different organic manures on the yield, nutrient uptake and quality of baby corn. Baby corn G 5414 was used as test variety. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Treatments consisted of three different organic manures viz., farmyard manure, poultry manure and vermicompost with or without panchagavya as foliar spray. Significantly, the highest green cob and green fodder yield was obtained with the application of 100% N through poultry manure (10920 kg ha-1 and 29797 kg ha-1, respectively) and it is superior to the rest of treatments. Application of 100% N through poultry manure + 3% Panchagavya spray at vegetative and tasseling stage recorded higher green cob and green fodder yield (10418 kg ha-1 and 28636 kg ha-1, respectively). This was followed by the application of 50% N through farmyard manure + 50% N through poultry manure + 3% Panchagavya spray at vegetative and tasseling stage and application of 50% N through farmyard manure + 50% N through poultry manure which registered higher green cob and green fodder yield (10401 kg ha-1 and 28498 kg ha-1, respectively, 10354 kg ha-1 and 28389 kg ha-1, respectively). These treatments were on par with each other. Higher nutrient uptake (NPK) and quality of baby corn was obtained with the application of 100% N through poultry manure. Higher gross return, net return and B: C ratio was recorded with the application of 100% N through poultry manure (` 248197 ha-1, ` 199647 ha-1 and 5.1, respectively). Application of 100% N through poultry manure was found to be the desirable organic nutrient management practice for realizing higher yield, nutrient uptake and quality of baby corn.

Key words : Baby corn, Organic manures, Nutrient uptake, Yield and Quality