Effect of Chitosan Fortified Briquettes and Nano Urea Formulations on Growth, Yield and Biochemical Parameters of Sweet Corn (Zea mays saccharata L.)

Aims: The field experiment was conducted to study the effect of chitosan fortified briquettes and nano urea formulations on growth, yield and biochemical parameters of sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata L.).

Study Design: The field trial was laid out by using randomized block design comprising eleven treatments replicated thrice.

Place and Duration of Study: The field experiment was carried out at the Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra during Rabi 2023-24.

Methodology: The treatments of the experimental trial were T1 : Control, T2 : 100% RDF through straight fertilizer (SF), T3 : 100% RDF through Konkan Annapurna Briquettes (KAB), T4 : 100% RDF through Chitosan fortified briquettes (CFB), T5 : 75% RDF through CFB, T6 : T5 + Foliar application of synthesized Nano urea @ 30 ppm, T7 : T5 + Foliar application of synthesized Nano urea @ 60 ppm, T8 : T5 + Foliar application of synthesized Nano urea @ 90 ppm, T9 : T5 + Foliar application of synthesized Nano urea conjugate @ 30 ppm, T10 : T5 + Foliar application of synthesized Nano urea conjugate @ 60 ppm, T11 : T5 + Foliar application of synthesized Nano urea conjugate @ 90 ppm. Sweet corn var. Sweet-70 was used for the trial. Seeds were sown at spacing of 60 cm × 20 cm. The recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) used in the experiment was 200:60:60 NPK kg ha-1. Briquette application was done at 15 and 40 DAS and foliar application of nano urea was done at 25 and 50 DAS.

Results: Results revealed that significantly higher values of growth, yield attributes, yield and biochemical parameters of sweet corn was observed in treatment 75 % RDF (CFB) + foliar application of synthesized nano urea conjugate @ 30 ppm (T9) over rest of the treatments. The green cob and green stover yield of sweet corn was increased in treatment T9 by 152.93% and 145.97% over control (T1), respectively.

Conclusion: Application of 75% RDF through chitosan fortified briquettes (at 15 and 40 DAS) along with foliar application of 30 ppm synthesized nano urea conjugate twice at 25 and 50 DAS might increase the growth, yield attributes, yield and biochemical parameters of sweet corn.