Integrated Nitrogen Management for Better Growth, Higher Yield and Profitability of Summer Sweet Corn

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of integrated nitrogen management on growth, yield attributes, green cob and forage yields, nutrient uptake, biofertilizer interactions, soil microbial population, and economic returns of hybrid sweet corn during the summer season of 2022 at the Post Graduate Research Farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha. The experiment comprised thirteen integrated nitrogen management treatments with three replications, including different combinations of recommended nitrogen doses, vermicompost, and seed inoculation with Azospirillum and Pseudomonas. Growth and yield attributes, green cob and forage yields, plant nitrogen content and uptake, soil microbial population, and economic parameters were evaluated. The application of 100% recommended nitrogen dose (RDN) recorded the highest green cob yield (12.9 t ha⁻¹) and green forage yield (16.7 t ha⁻¹), which were statistically comparable with those under 75% RDN + 25% RDN through vermicompost @ 2 t ha⁻¹ + seed inoculation with Azospirillum + Pseudomonas, recording 11.8 and 16.2 t ha⁻¹, respectively. The integrated treatment improved cob weight, cob length, and grains per row. The combination of 75% RDN + 25% RDN through vermicompost @ 2 t ha⁻¹ with both biofertilizers’ recorded the highest plant nitrogen content and uptake. The highest soil microbial population and cost of cultivation (₹59,059 ha⁻¹) were observed with 50% RDN + 50% RDN through vermicompost @ 4 t ha⁻¹ + Azospirillum + Pseudomonas. However, 100% RDN recorded the highest gross return (₹2,10,380 ha⁻¹), net return (₹1,65,677 ha⁻¹), and benefit-cost ratio (3.70). The application of 100% RDN was the most productive and economically profitable treatment, while reduced inorganic nitrogen integrated with vermicompost and Azospirillum + Pseudomonas improved nutrient uptake and soil microbial activity while maintaining comparable yield performance, indicating its potential as an integrated and sustainable nitrogen management strategy for sweet corn production.