EFFECT OF INTRA-ROW SPACING AND POTASSIUM LEVELS ON SOIL ANALYSIS AND SWEET CORN QUALITY TRAITS (ZEA MAYS L. VAR. SACCHARATA)MANISHA SHARMA, MANOJ KUMAR AND B.M. DABHIAbstract A field experiment was carried out in Junagadh (Gujarat) during the Rabi season of 2016â17 to ascertain the effect of intra-row spacing and potassium levels on quality traits of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. Saccharata). In this study, four intra-row spacings (5, 10, 15, and 20 cm) and four potassium levels (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg K2O/ha) were evaluated and replicated thrice in factorial randomised black design. Results of the study revealed that among different intra-row spacing levels, significant and maximum protein production (807 kg/ha), crude protein content in fodder (5.0%), K content in cob (1.37%), N comtent in fodder (0.80%) and K content in fodder (1.52%) were recorded at 20 cm intra-row spacing. However among potassium levels, K4 (60 K2O + 120 N2O + 60 P2O5) kg/ha) recorded with significantly higher soil available N (256.17 kg/ha), K (278.07 kg/ha) contents, and N (1.70 and 0.83%), K (1.39 and 1.60%) content in cob and fodder, respectively. Based on the results of field experiment, it is concluded that planting of sweet corn at 20 cm intra-row spacing and application of K @ 60 kg K2O/ha along with N@120 kg/ha and P@ 60 kg/ha resulted in the higher quality traits viz. crude protein content in cob (10.60%), fodder (5.20%), protein yield (827 kg/ha), reducing sugar (3.75%), non-reducing sugars (7.53%) and total sugars (11.68%). |