Influence of marigold and sweet corn intercropping on flowering parameters and cob qualities of sweet corn

The field experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Dapoli in rabi season of the year 2022-23 to assess the performance of marigold with sweet corn intercropping system. The marigold was intercropped with sweet corn in six different ratios viz; 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 3:2, 4:1 and 4:2 along with marigold and sweet corn sole crops. The flowering parameters of sweet corn viz; days to tasselling, days to silking and nodal position of the female flower were studied in flowering phase of sweet corn which were not significantly influenced by intercropping systems with marigold. The revealed significantly higher cob length and girth were in treatment T7 (25.25 cm, 6.98 cm, respectively) whereas, the minimum length and girth of cob were found in treatment T2 (21.64 cm and 6.32 cm, respectively). The maximum weight of cob (501.58 g) and maximum weight of sweet corn grains (334.47 g) per cob were observed in treatment T7 (Marigold + sweetcorn 4:1). While, the minimum weight of cob (461.08 g) as well as weight of sweet corn grains (294.98 g cob–1 were recorded in treatment T2 (sole sweet corn).