Field and storage experiments were conducted during 2014 and
2015 seasons. The field experiment was carried out at the experimental
station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo university ,Giza, Governorate
Seeds of field corn , 352 and 323 triple hybrids were sown 1st May,1st
June and 1st July and harvested 1, 2 and 3 days after silk emergence. Ears
from the previous experiment (three planting dates and three harvesting
dates) were stored at 5 °C and 90 – 95 % relative humidity for 15 days to
investigate the effect of hybrid, planting date and harvesting date on
accumulated heat units growing degree days (GDD), vegetative growth,
ear characters, yield and storability of baby corn ears.
Results showed that baby corn plants needs 1747.6, 1694.2 (GDD)
for 323 hybrid and 1822.8 and 1745.4 for 353 hybrid to reach the
optimum harvest stage of ears with the best quality ( 2 days after siliking)
for the first and second seasons, respectively. Results revealed that 353
hybrid had significantly increment in vegetative growth parameters and
produced higher total yield and its components per Fadden than those
obtained by 323 hybrid. 353 hybrid planted on 1 st May and 1 st June had
the highest vegetative growth and total yield and its components (ear
weight and number of cobs / m 2 while 323 hybrid planted in 1 st June was
the lowest ones in these characters.The best value of ear length and ear
diameter concerning to marketability were obtained from 353 hybrid
which planted in 1 st May and harvested after 2 days from silk emergence
being about 9.32 cm and 10.38 mm, respectively.
For storability, General Appearance (GA) in ears obtained from
planting on 1 st May and harvested after 2 days from silk emergence did
not exhibit any changes in their appearance till the end of storage period
(15 days).,also gave the lowest weight loss % , had highest L value (
indicating lighter color) and b value ( indicating light yellowing) and
maintained total sugars during storage.