Effect of Different Cover Crops on the Yield and Quality of Subsequent Baby Corn Crop.

Beneficial effects of cover crops on subsequent crop vary with selection of the cover crop and its duration. To study the effect of three  fodder cover crops and their time of chopping on the yield and the quality parameters of following baby corn (Zea mays L.), a field experiment under no-till system was conducted at the Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, during kharif 2014 and 2015. The experiment was laid in split plot design with 3 fodder crops as main plot treatment and days to chopping as sub-plot (three treatments). Cover crops grown were, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), fodder maize (Zea Mays L.), sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor) and these were chopped 25, 35, 45 days after sowing. Baby corn (Zea Mays L.) grown as a cash crop after chopping of cover crops was sown on same date in all the treatments in first fortnight of June and harvested on first fortnight of August. All the three cover crops had significant effect on the yield of baby corn in both the years. The highest baby corn cob yield of 1.45 and 1.51 t ha^-1 was recorded after pearl millet in both the years. The effect of cover crops on the baby corn fodder yield (green stem and leaves of baby corn) was insignificant and highest fodder yield was obtained after pearl millet cover crop. Chlorophyll index, leaf area index and plant height were the highest for baby corn sown after the chopping of 45 days old cover crop.  Time of chopping of cover crops had significant effect on protein, sugar content, starch content and crude fiber of baby corn, but the effect of different cover crops was insignificant. It can be concluded that selection of cover crop and days to chopping had significant effect on yield and quality of baby corn