Baby corn is the young ear of the maize plant harvested before fertilisation, known for its sweet taste and crispy texture. It's pesticide-free and nutritious, like cauliflower or cucumber, and its by-products make good cattle feed.
Prepare the land for baby corn as for sweet corn and popcorn. Decide between standard plant populations with multiple ear harvests or high plant densities at 45 cm x 20 cm spacing with 2 plants per hill, harvesting all ears for baby corn.
For better yields, use a 20-25 kg/ha seed rate. Opt for early, prolific varieties and hybrids for baby corn. Choose short-statured, prolific cultivars for uniform flowering, needing just 4-5 harvests.
Recommended baby corn cultivars include Him 123, VL 42, Him 129, Chandan Safed, Navin, Diara-3 D-765, and more. They can be grown nationwide in both Kharif and Rabi seasons, offering diverse harvest times and yields.
For baby corn insect pest management, use Endosulfan 35 EC at 2 ml/l on 10-14 day-old plants to control stalk borers.
Harvest baby corn when silks are 1-2 cm long. Pick every 3 days for 7-8 times. Yield averages 15-19 q/ha. Store for 3-4 days at 10oC or can in brine solution for long-term storage.