EFECT OF INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON THE NUTRIENT CONTENT AND ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF BABY CORN (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted from February-April 2018 at College of Agriculture,
Vellayani, to investigate the influence of integrated nutrient managementpractice on the nutrient
content and organoleptic properties of fresh baby corn cob. The treatment includes four organic
sources for N substitution on N equivalent basis and biofertilizer treatments.The highest ascorbic
acid content (10.67 mg g-1
) was recorded when 25% of N was substituted through vermicompost
(s2). Application of biofertilizer (b1) produced significantly higher total soluble sugar
(6.86oBrix), reducing sugar (2.89%) and ascorbic acid content (10 mg g-1
) in cob compared to b0.
The INM practice in which50% N substituted through poultry manure (25%) and vermicompost
(25%) with PGPR-1 (s4b1) or 25% N substituted through vermicompost alone with PGPR-1
(s2b1), combined with remaining N, full P and K through chemical source recorded the highest
mean score and mean rank values in organoleptic study.