Effect of Zinc Fortification on Quality, Yield and Economics of Sweetcorn

Abstract

A field experiment was performed at Agricultural College, Bapatla, ANGRAU, Guntur during kharif season of 2020 to evaluate the efficacy of zinc nutrition on quality, yield and economics of sweetcorn. Experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design and comprising of nine treatments with three replications. The results disclosed that application of recommended dose of fertilizers along with soil application of 10 kg ha-1 Zn EDTA + two foliar sprays of nano zinc @ 250 ppm at 20 & 40 DAS registered remarkably higher protein content (12.98%) and zinc content (34.59 ppm) in kernel which was considered to be superior over the remaining zinc management practices tried. Also, highest green cob (12,638 kg ha-1), green fodder (19,674 kg ha-1), stover yield (7,590 kg ha-1) and gross returns (₹ 1,93,360 ha-1) was recorded from the treatment with soil application of Zn EDTA @ 10 kg ha-1 + two foliar sprays of nano zinc @ 250 ppm at 20 & 40 DAS along with RDF over control. However, highest net returns (₹ 1,38,664 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (2.74) was recorded with RDF + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 (Soil) + Nano ZnO @ 250 ppm at 20 and 40 DAS (Foliar spray). The effectiveness of Zn EDTA compared to ZnSO4 is responsible for the higher quality parameters and yield of sweetcorn but due to its higher cost, Net returns and B;C ratio are maximum for the plots treated with ZnSO4 making it more economically viable.