THE EFFECT OF SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus L.) CATCH CROP ON CONTENT OF SELECTED COMPONENTS OF NUTRITIVE VALUE OF SWEET CORN (Zea mays L. var. saccharata (Sturtev.) L.H. Bailey)

Organic manuring have significant influence on the sweet corn growth. Important element of sweet corn agrotechny can be catch crops cultivated on the ploughing down. A field experiment was carried out at the Zawady Experimental Farm near Siedlce. There was investigated the effect of green manures applied as sunflower catch crops on changes in the content of dry matter, ascorbic acid, total sugars and monosaccharides in sweet corn . The sunflower was sown at three dates: the 21st of July, 4th of August and 18th of August. The effects of catch crop green manures was compared to the effect of farmyard manure (40 t·ha-1) and the control. Sweet corn cultivated in control and after catch crops sown on the 18th of August content more dry matter in kernels then cultivated after farmyard manure. Catch crops sown on the 21st of July and 18th of August reduced ascorbic acid content in corn compared to farmyard manure and the catch crop sown on the 4th of August. Sweet corn cultivated following farmyard manure and catch crops sown on the 21st of July and 4th of August had a higher content of total sugars compared with corn following the sunflower catch crop sown on the 18th of August. An average content of monosaccharides in sweet corn after sunflower catch crop sown on the 21st of July was higher than in corn cultivated following farmyard manure.