Nitrogen management and seed priming with GA3 in baby corn, Zea mays L

The experiment was carried out during summer season of 2012 in split plot design and replicated three times. Plant height at knee high stage only increased markedly due to higher rate of basal nitrogen application resulting in significantly taller plants under SPAD based nitrogen management with 75 kg N/ha basal dose followed by N top dressing at SPAD value <45 (each time @ 20 kg N/ha) and dry matter production at tasselling stage were found to be improved significantly under SPAD based nitrogen management compared to blanket split of 150 kg N/ha with 3 splits (½ basal, ¼ at 25 DAS and ¼ at 45 DAS) nitrogen application. The cob weight and baby corn weight increased with higher dose of nitrogen application. In blanket splits of N management with higher dose of application produced higher than lower rate of blanket application. Higher level of N application under both the N management strategies registered significantly higher yield of baby corn over lower level of N application. However total fodder yield was maximum with SPAD based N management due to growth attributes like plant height was improved significantly. Though net return (Rs 154970) was maximum with the treatment of higher dose of blanket application yet B:C ratio was estimated to be highest with SPAD based N application. Seed priming with GA3 did not show significant effect on growth and yield of baby corn. Economics of baby corn production with seed priming also remained unfavorable.