The experimental site was located in Bhandarwadi, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, India (15°37′–16°40′ N, 73°19′–74°13′ E; 26 meters above the mean sea level), representing the tropical Konkan agro-climatic zone. Regional climatic conditions feature extreme pre-monsoon thermal peaks (38–40 °C) and a hyperthermic regime. Interannual rainfall fluctuations induce acute seasonal soil moisture stress, which adversely impacts crop physiological processes during key phenological transitions.

Sweet corn seeds (Zea mays L. var. saccharata, cultivar 'Hybrid'; 95% seed purity, Lot No. 20017803, Label 315) were procured from Syngenta India Pvt. Ltd., India. The field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates across two treatment groups: untreated/control sweet corn (CONSCORG) and biofield energy-treated sweet corn (BTSCORG). To minimize confounding factors, all treatment plots were cultivated under identical environmental and agronomic conditions following standardized protocols for irrigation, fertilization, and pest management.

The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) covering a total footprint of 70.0 m^². The design consisted of six 9 m^² individual plots (3 m × 3 m), each separated by 0.6 m buffer zones. Crops were established on a 0.5 m × 0.5 m grid, achieving a planting density of 4 plants m⁻².

Distant spiritual blessing (biofield) energy treatment (SBET; The Trivedi Effect^®) was administered to the experimental group (BTSCORG; sweet corn seeds and soil) by a practitioner with over 14 years of experience (Ms. Alice Branton, Florida, USA) via a real-time online web-conferencing platform. The treatment consisted of a single, 4-minute session under monitored ambient conditions (28 ± 2 °C and 65 ± 5% relative humidity). The control group (CONSCORG; seeds and soil) received no treatment and was maintained under identical environmental conditions.

To establish baseline physicochemical properties, we collected composite topsoil samples (30 cm depth from the surface) from five systematic points per plot. Samples were air-dried at ambient temperature, sieved (<2 mm), and stored at 4 °C. We determined particle size distribution following 11 and measured soil pH potentiometrically in a 1:2 (w/v) soil-to-deionized water suspension.

Plots were manually irrigated for 7 days post-sowing to facilitate crop establishment. Irrigation was subsequently supplied via a surface drip system featuring pressure-compensating emitters (0.5 m emitter spacing, nominal flow rate of 3.0 L h⁻¹).

Baseline nutrients were applied at a rate of 50:100:50 kg ha⁻¹ (N:P:K). Full doses of phosphorus (as single superphosphate), potassium (as muriate of potash), and 50% of nitrogen (as urea) were basal-incorporated at sowing. The residual 50% N was side-dressed at 21 days after sowing (DAS). To eliminate pest damage as a confounding variable, a commercial insecticide mixture, Hamla 550 (500 g L⁻¹ chlorpyrifos + 50 g L⁻¹ cypermethrin), Gharda Chemicals Ltd., India was applied as a foliar spray at a concentration of 2 mL L⁻¹.

We evaluated vegetative and reproductive parameters at 80 days after sowing (DAS) using five randomly sampled sweet corn plants per plot. Pre- and post-flowering phenotyping captured growth habit, stem diameter, leaf morphology, flowering dynamics, and ear development traits. At the plot scale, we recorded emergence efficiency, phenological milestones (days to 50% tasseling and silking), the anthesis–silking interval, ear geometry (length and diameter), days to 80% maturity, and key yield metrics.

Upon reaching physiological maturity, ears were harvested, and five representative plants per plot were randomly sampled to evaluate ear physical characteristics (length, diameter, and fresh mass). Plot yield (kg) was converted to a tonnes-per-hectare basis.

Data are expressed as the mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Inter-group comparisons across the two independent cohorts were conducted via a two-tailed Student’s t-test. Analyses were run using SigmaPlot (version 14.0), and the threshold for statistical significance was predetermined at p < 0.05.

Compared with CONSCORG, the BTSCORG treatment significantly modified the sandy loam soil matrix, leading to an increased water-holding capacity and higher concentrations of exchangeable cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Na⁺; p < 0.05) (data not shown).

To map the ontogenesis of sweet corn (Zea mays Saccharata L.) we systematically tracked its morphology across distinct growth stages. This study provides a quantified phenological timeline that captures critical developmental milestones from germination and seedling establishment through vegetative expansion, anthesis, and fruit maturation (Figure 1).

Leaf colour was dark green in the biofield energy-treated group (BTSCORG) as compared to the control group (CONSCORG), green. Dropping leaf orientation was observed for CONSCORG and erect for BTSCORG. Leaf pubescence was present in the BTSCORG, while it was absent in the CONSCORG. The tassel texture of CONSCORG was lax (less dense) and dense for BTSCORG. The tassel-anther glume colour of sweet corn was light yellowish green in the CONSCORG group and BTSCORG had white yellowish colour. The tassel-glume base colour of sweet corn was absent in the CONSCORG group and present in the BTSCORG. The silk colour at emergence in the BTSCORG and CONSCORG group was light white and light yellowish green, respectively. The ear (cob) shape was cylindrical conical for CONSCORG, and cylindrical for BTSCORG. The kernel colour of BTSCORG and CONSCORG groups was intense yellow and light yellow, respectively. Husk cover was very good in the BTSCORG, while good in the CONSCORG. The kernel/grain texture, taste, and size of BTSCORG were soft, sweeter, and larger, whereas those of the CONSCORG group were slightly soft, less sweet, and medium. Both BTSCORG and CONSCORG had smooth leaf texture, upright plant growth habit, broad leaf width, presence of anthocyanin pigment, regular kernel row arrangement, and flat grain shape (Table 1).

The rate of germination was significantly increased by 13.50% (p ≤ 0.001) in the BTSCORG compared to the CONSCORG.Plant height and stem diameter were significantly increased by 18.14% (p ≤ 0.001) and 29.63% (p ≤ 0.001), respectively, in the BTSCORG compared to the CONSCORG.Number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width, flag leaf length, and flag leaf width were significantly increased by 18.75% (p ≤ 0.001), 26.84% (p ≤ 0.001), 40.06% (p ≤ 0.001), 41.57% (p ≤ 0.001), and 48.67% (p = 0.001), respectively, in the BTSCORG than CONSCORG. Anthesis silk interval and tassel branching were significantly improved by 73.21% (p ≤ 0.001) and 35.65% (p = 0.011), respectively, in the BTSCORG than CONSCORG. The BTSCORG took less time to 80% fruit manifestation compared to the CONSCORG. Fruit pedicel length, ear/cob length, and ear/cob diameter were significantly increased by 26.39% (p ≤ 0.001), 40.22% (p ≤ 0.001), and 84% (p ≤ 0.001), respectively, in the BTSCORG with respect to CONSCORG. Number of husks per ear, number of kernels per row, kernels per plant, and 100-gram seed weight were significantly increased by 22.96% (p ≤ 0.001), 57.16% (p ≤ 0.001), 37.81% (p ≤ 0.001), and 11.28% (p ≤ 0.001), respectively, in the BTSCORG compared to the CONSCORG. Finally, the grain yield/hectare (ton/h) and straw/stover yield/hectare (ton/ha) were improved by 57.14% and 43.72%, respectively, in the BTSCORG compared to the CONSCORG (Table 2).