Effect of different tillage practices, mulch and nitrogen on soil properties, growth and yield of fodder maize

Abstract

Inadequate farm energy, insufficient time available to complete tillage operations and prevalence of supra-optimal soil temperatures restrict the area under cultivation and lower the yields of fodder maize in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Field studies were conducted for two years to evaluate the effects of minimum (T 1), reduced (T 2) and conventional (T 3) tillage in the presence and absence of surface residues under normal and high levels of nitrogen application on the soil properties, water use and growth and yield of fodder maize. Inter-row soil strength and maximum soil temperature was significantly higher and profile moisture storage and its utilization lower under T 1 compared with T 2 and T 3. Application of residues at the surface moderated the supra-optimal soil temperature and improved the moisture storage, irrespective of the tillage system. Total water utilization, water-use efficiency, crop growth and forage yields were comparable under T 2 and T 3 and significantly higher than under T 1. To minimize farm energy requirements as well as obtaining higher forage yields of maize, a treatment combination of reduced tillage, application of surface residues and higher N application rate was found to be superior to conventional clean cultivation.