WAYS OF NITROGEN MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TESTED IN SWEET CORN

Physiologically sweet corn is a form of maize which is incapable of completing the formation of normal corn starch. For diversification and getting more valuable crops presently greater emphasis is being given on cultivation of sweet corn to augment the income for farming community dwelling in the outskirts of big cities and metropolis. Unlike all other food crops sweet corn also requires proper nutrient management for better growth and development. Nitrogen is a vital plant nutrient and a major determining factor required for maize production. Its availability in sufficient quantity throughout the growing season is essential for optimum growth and development of sweet corn. But at present nitrogen is universally deficient in Indian soils with 99% of soils responding to nitrogen application. Research has shown that combining foliar nitrogen fertilization with a soil-based fertility program improves crop production and quality. There is no single strategy to fit every grower’s situation but supplementing a traditional nitrogen-fertility program with split and foliar applications may give growers more management options exactly the book deals with.