Production Technology : Baby Corn

In general, the cultivation practices of baby corn are similar to grain crop except
(i) preference for early maturing single cross hybrids
(ii) higher plant population
(iii) higher dose of nitrogen application because of higher plant population
(iv) detasseling (v) harvesting of unfertilized small cobs within 1-3 days of silk emergence.
However, to achieve higher productivity, following package should be adopted:

Selection of suitable varieties:

Short duration, prolific, single cross hybrid with medium height should be selected. HM-4, Prakash, etc. are suitable hybrids for baby corn. Traits contributing to higher baby corn yield are as follows:


i) Early maturating single cross hybrids:

To earn better returns in shortest period from baby corn crop, early maturing single cross hybrids are suggested with silking period of 45-50 days in kharif, 75-¬80 days in spring and 120-130 days in winter in North Indian states.


ii) Medium height and lodging resistance:

Baby corn is cultivated with high plant populations. In general, with high plant density, lodging has been observed. Therefore, hybrid with strong plant type and better root system is preferred.


iii) Prolific:

Cultivars producing more than one ear per plant are desirable for higher yield of baby corn.


iv) Responsive to high dose of fertilizers:

As baby corn is cultivated in higher plant density, fertilizer responsive cultivars are more suitable for the purpose.


v) No barrenness:

Varieties possessing no barrenness trait are desirable for proper yield.


vi) Stay green:

For getting better fodder quality, genotypes grown for baby corn cultivation must possess the stay green traits. After the picking of baby corn, left over plant material is used as green fodder.


vii) Erect leaves:

To accommodate more plant per unit area, erect leaves is a very good trait. This allows better interception of light and hence, enhance net photosynthesis.


viii) Length of dehusked ear:

Preferably not exceeding 10 cm with 1.0¬-1.5 cm diameter.


ix) Husked to dehusked ratio:

It should be 5-6 : 1


x) Harvesting period:

Harvesting period should be within 10- 12 days in kharif / spring and 20 days in winter crop.


xi) Deformity:

Each plant should give 3-4 pickings of baby corn. Each baby corn should maintain desirable size and colour.

Sowing time :

It can be sown round the year in southern India. In northern India, it can be sown from February to November. It can be grown through transplanting in furrows in December-January in northern India. For this purpose nursery should be raised in November. Generally, August to November planting yield best quality baby corn.

Sowing method :

Sowing should be done on southern side of the ridges with 60 cm x 15 -20 cm row x plant spacing depending upon planttype( erect/spreading).


Seed rate:

Optimum seed rate is 22-25 kg/ha depending upon the test weight of the hybrid.

Seed treatment:

Seeds should be treated (Fig. 4, 5 & 6) with fungicides and insecticides before sowing to protect it from seed and soil borne diseases and some insect-pests.
Bavistin + Captan in 1:1 ratio @ 2 g/kg seed for TLB, BLSB, MLB, etc.
Apron 35 SD @ 4 g/kg seed for BSDM
Captan 2.5 g/kg for Pythium Stalk Rot
Fipronil @ 4 ml/kg for termite and shoot fly
Note: TLB: Turcicum leaf blight
BLSB: Banded leaf and sheath blight
MLB: Maydis leaf blight
BSOM: Brown stripe downy mildew

Nutrient management:

Nutrient application should be based on soil test. Generally 150-180:60:60:25 Kg/ha N,P,K and ZnS04 with 8-10 tons/ha FYM (Fig. 7) should be applied. Full dose of phosphorus, potash and zinc and 10 % N should be applied as basal dose (Fig. 8). The remaining dose of nitrogen should be applied in four splits as per details given below to avoid losses and to meet the requirement throughout the crop cycle-
1 . 20% N at 41eaf stage
2. 30% N at 81eaf stage
3. 25% N before detasseling
4. 15% N after detasseling

Weed management:

Broad leaf weeds and most of the grasses can be controlled by pre¬emergence spray of Atrazine (Fig. 9) @1.0-1.5 Kg/ ha in 500-600 litre of water. While spraying, the person who is doing spray should move backward (Fig.10) so that the atrazine film on the soil surface may not be disturbed. Preferably, three nozzle booms may be used for proper ground coverage and saving of time.
One to two hoeings are recommended for aeration and uprooting of the remaining weeds. While doing hoeing, the person should move backward to avoid compaction of soil and to facilitate better aeration.

Water management:

First irrigation should be applied very carefully. Water should not overflow on the ridges. The irrigation should be applied in furrows upto 2/3rd height of the ridges (Fig. 11). Irrigation should be given as and when required by the crop depending upon the rains and moisture holding capacity of the soil. Young seedlings, knee high stage, silking and picking are the most sensitive stages for water stress for crops and irrigation should be ensured at these stages. Light and frequent irrigations are desirable for crop. During winter (mid December to mid February) soil should be kept wet to avoid frost injury.

Intercropping :

Baby corn is very remunerative, if it is cultivated with intercrop. As many as 20 crops, namely potato(Fig. 12), green pea(Fig. 13), rajmash for green pods, palak (Fig. 14), cabbage (Fig. 15), cauliflower (Fig. 16), sugar beet (Fig. 17), green onion, garlic, methi, coriander, knol-khol, broccoli, lettuce, turnip, radish, carrot (Fig. 18), french bean, celery, gladiolus (Fig. 19), etc. have been successfully tried in the winter season. Since, the season is long therefore, farmers can utilize his lean period and get additional income through intercropping in babycorn. There is no adverse affect of intercrops on baby corn and vice-versa, rather, some of the intercrops help in improving soil fertility and protect the baby corn crop from cold injury. Intercrops protect the baby corn from northern cold wind because baby corn is planted on southern side and intercrops in northern side of the ridge. In general, short duration varieties of intercrops are preferred for intercropping with baby corn. Recommended dose of fertilizers of intercrops should be applied in addition to the recommended dose of fertilizers of baby corn. In kharif season, cowpea for green pods and fodder purposes, urd, mung, etc. can be intercropped with baby corn. Numbers of intercrops are option for the farmers but for commercial purpose, pea and potato can be taken on large scale during winter season.

Protection from serious insect pests:

Stem borer (Chilo partellus), Pink borer (Sesamia inferens) and Sorghum shoot fly (Atherigona spp) are serious problems in kharif, rabi and spring seasons, respectively. Stem borer can be controlled by 1-2 spray of Carboryl or Endosulfan after 10 and 20 days of germination. Spraying should be done in the central whorl of plant.

Ist spray:

500 gm Carboryl or 625 ml Endosulfan (35EC) application of insecticide in 500 litre water in the central whorl of plant (Fig. 20).

IInd spray:

750 gm Carboryl or 900 ml Endosulfan (35EC) in 700-800 litre water, if required.

Detasseling:

To maintain the quality of baby corn, detasseling is an essential operation. It is done by removing the tassel of the plant as soon as it emerges from the flag leaf. It should be practiced row-wise. While detasseling, leaf should not be removed (Fig. 21) which will otherwise affect net photosynthesis and ultimately reduce average baby corn yield. It has been observed that the removal of 1 to 3 leaves along with tassel reduces 5-15 % yield of baby corn. The removed tassel (Fig. 22) should not be thrown in the field as it is nutrient rich and should be fed to the cattle.

Harvesting:

Picking should be done daily in kharif and on alternate days in winter season within 1-3 days of silk emergence from the leaf sheath depending upon the variety. Harvesting should be done when baby corn silk comes out 2.0-3.0 cm from the top of ears, (Fig. 23) preferably in the morning or evening, when the baby corn moisture is highest and ambient temperature is low. In single cross hybrid plant, 3-4 pickings may be obtained.

Yield:

It depends on potential of genotypes and climatic conditions. In a good crop, on an average 55-114 q/ha husked baby corn (Fig. 24) or 11-19 q/ha dehusked baby corn (Fig. 25) can be harvested. Green fodder yield is about 150-400 q/ha that gives additional income to the growers.

By-products:

A number of by-products are produced in the cultivation of baby corn such as tassels, silks, husks, green plant material etc. after harvest. All these by-products are highly nutritive and can be fed to the cattle which increase milk yield.