Response of Sweet Corn to Intercropping and Fertility Level

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of intercropping and fertility level on yield and economics of sweet corn at the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha during rabi season of 2022-23. The experiment was conducted with split plot design having three main plots and five sub plots with three replications. The main plots were sole sweet corn, sweet corn + radish and sweet corn + beans; whereas the sub plots include the fertility levels of 0:0:0, 40:20:20, 80:40:40, 120:60:60 and 160:80:80 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha-1. Observations were taken on plant growth, yield attributing factors, yield and economics. There was reduction in growth and yield of sweet corn due to competition from intercrops. The highest green cob yield of 10.07 t ha-1 was obtained from sole sweet corn, which was statistically superior over yield obtained from sweet corn taken with any of the intercrops. However, maximum green cob equivalent yield of 12.66 t ha-1 was obtained in sweet corn + radish intercropping system. In case of fertility levels, optimum yield of green cob (10.61 t ha-1) was recorded with application of 120 kg N, 60 kg P2O5 and 60 kg K2O ha-1. The green cob equivalent yield attained the optimum value (14.32 t ha-1) with application of 120 kg N, 60 kg P2O5 and 60 kg K2O per hectare. Maximum net profit of ₹ 111.3 thousand per hectare was obtained when radish was intercropped with sweet corn. From the findings of this experiment, it can be inferred that application of 120 kg N, 60 kg P2O5 and 60 kg K2O per hectare to sweet corn and sweet corn + radish intercropping system is suitable to obtain optimal yield of sweet corn, green cob equivalent yield and net profit.