Growth and development of baby corn (Zea mays L.) as influenced by non-leguminous forage cover crops and their spell of chopping under conservation agriculture

A field experiment was conducted at the Students’ Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during kharif 2014 and 2015. The experiment was laid in split plot design with four replications and nine treatment combinations having three cover crops i. e. bajra (Pennisetum glaucum), maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in main plots and three different times of chopping of cover crops i. e. 25, 35 and 45 days after sowing in sub-plots. Chopping had significant effect on the chlorophyll index, LAI and plant height of baby corn. The plots in which chopping of 45 days old cover crops was done recorded highest values of chlorophyll index, LAI and plant height of baby corn but they were statistically at par with values obtained from plots in which 35 days older cover crops were chopped. Different cover crops did not have any effect on fodder yield. Yield of baby corn was significantly affected by cover crops. The highest baby corn yield was observed after bajra, which was at par after maize but significantly higher than sorghum cover crop. Various phenological stages were also influenced by time of chopping of cover crops.