INFLUENCE OF ORGANIC AND BIO - MULCHING ON WEED MANAGEMENT IN BABY CORN CULTIVATION

Abstract

Baby corn is the dehusked maize ear, harvested within 2-3 days of silking, i.e. prior to fertilization (Pandey et al., 1998). It is a genotype of Zea mays L. Babycorn cultivation provides tremendous avenues for diversification, value addition and revenue generation. After successful venture in many South-East Asian countries, it is gaining fast popularity in Indian market too, particularly in metropolitan cities. Good quality and higher green-fodder yield for its cultivation adds enormously to total economic returns besides higher profit per unit area, compared with green maize. Babycorn is used in a variety of traditional and continental dishes besides being canned. It has high nutritive value comparable to many vegetables (ParodaShashi, 1994). Babycorn, being a relatively new introduction in our country requires the development of suitable production technology in realizing higher yield and monetary returns before it could be popularized among the growers. Depending on agro climatic conditions, 3-4 crops of babycorn are taken in a year recording high returns.