Effect of Bio-fertilizer and Gibberellic Acid on Growth and Yield of Baby Corn (Zea mays, Poaceae)

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted during Zaid season 2021-22 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P). The soil of the experiment plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.2), low in organic carbon (0.48%), available N (171.48 kg/ha), available P (13.6 kg/ha) and available K (215.4 kg/ha). The treatments consisted of three levels of Gibberellic acid 50, 100 and 150 ppm of foliar application and (20 g and 10g per kg litre of water) and two levels of Bio fertilizer {Azospirillum seed inoculation (10 and 20 g/kg of seed) and Azotobacter seed inoculation (10 and 20 g/kg of seed)} respectively and Azospirillum + Azotobacter 10 g/kg each gibberellic acid 150 ppm treatment combined. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with nine treatments and were replicated thrice. Results defined those maximum values of plant height (185.29 cm), dry weight (90.42 g/plant), number of cobs per plant (2.64), cob length (19.76 cm), cob weight with husk (48.54 g/cob) and cob weight without husk (12.51 g/cob) cob yield with husk (11.04 t/ ha), cob yield without husk (4.15 t/ha) were recorded with application of Azotobacter 10g/kg + Azospirillum 10g/kg + Gibberellic acid 150 ppm (T9) treatment combination.