Effects of chicken manure dose and Eco Farming spray intensity on growth and ear traits of baby corn (Zea mays L.)

Chicken manure and Eco Farming effects on baby corn

Abstract

Organic nutrient management is important in baby corn because this crop has a short production cycle and requires rapid early growth and timely reproductive development. However, information on the combined use of chicken manure and repeated Eco Farming liquid organic fertilizer spraying under field conditions remains limited. This study evaluated the effects of chicken manure dose, Eco Farming spray intensity, and their interaction on the growth and ear traits of baby corn using a 3 × 3 factorial randomized block design with three replications. Chicken manure was applied at 0, 4.5, and 5.5 kg bed⁻¹, whereas Eco Farming was applied as 0, six, or seven foliar sprays. Plant height and leaf number were recorded at 15, 25, and 35 days after planting (DAP), whereas days to female flowering, husk weight, cob weight, and cob length were measured at harvest. Chicken manure significantly increased plant height at 25 and 35 DAP, whereas Eco Farming had no significant main effect on plant height. Significant interaction effects were detected for plant height at 25 DAP and for leaf number at 15 and 25 DAP, indicating that early vegetative responses depended on the combination of both inputs. Eco Farming significantly accelerated female flowering and increased husk weight and cob length, with seven sprays producing the best response. Cob weight was not significantly affected by either factor or their interaction. Overall, chicken manure more consistently supported vegetative growth, whereas intensified Eco Farming spraying improved flowering earliness and market-relevant ear traits in baby corn.