Performance of Sweet Corn Hybrids (Zea mays saccharata) as Influenced by Soil and Foliar Application of Zinc

A field experiment entitled “Performance of sweet corn hybrids (Zea mays saccharata) as influenced by soil and foliar application of zinc” was conducted during kharif 2018 at the Experimental Farm of the Division of Agronomy, Wadura, SKUAST-K. The experiment comprised of two factors with three sweet corn hybrids, viz., Sugar 75, FSCH 75 and CMVL SC and four zinc levels, viz., soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1, soil application of ZnSO4 @ 15 kg ha-1 + ZnSO4 (0.5%) foliar spray at knee high stage, soil application of ZnSO4 @ 15 kg ha-1 + ZnSO4 (0.5%) foliar spray at tasseling stage and ZnSO4 @ 15 kg ha-1 + ZnSB @ 200 ml/kg of seed laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results of the experiment revealed that hybrids had a significant effect on the yield attributes and yield of sweet corn and among different hybrids, Sugar 75 recorded significantly higher yield attributes and yield of sweet corn. However, hybrids had no effect on number of cobs per plant. Hybrid FSCH 75 recorded significantly lowest values for yield attributes and yield. Among zinc levels, soil application of ZnSO4 @ 15 kg ha-1 + ZnSO4 (0.5%) foliar spray at knee high stage produced significantly higher yield attributes and yield whereas zinc level ZnSO4 @ 15 kg ha-1 + ZnSB @ 200 ml/kg of seed recorded significantly lowest values of all the yield attributes and yield. However, zinc levels had no effect on number of cobs per plant. The economic analysis showed that highest net profit and benefit cost ratio of ₹466230.5 and 4.37 respectively was recorded by hybrid sugar 75 applied with zinc level of ZnSO4 @ 15 kg ha-1 + ZnSO4 (0.5%) foliar spray at knee high stage whereas lowest net profit and benefit cost ratio of ₹294742.5 and 2.76 respectively by hybrid FSCH 75 applied with zinc level, ZnSO4 @ 15 kg ha-1 + ZnSB @ 200 ml/kg of seed.