TILLAGE PRACTICES AND SOWING METHODS AFFECT YIELD AND RELATED ATTRIBUTES OF MAIZE
Ehsanullah1, Umair Ashraf2, Shakeel Ahmad Anjum1*, Farrukh Ehsan3, Imran Khan1 and Abdul Ghaffar1
1Deaprtment of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
2Department of Crop Science and Technology, College of Agriculture,
South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 P.R. China
3Deaprtment of Farm Machinery and Power, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
ABSTRACT
Adequate tillage practices and sowing of crops at suitable time with proper sowing methods are among the main factors that regulate the crop growth and ultimate yield. This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of different tillage practices and sowing methods on maize hybrid ‘32T16’ that was grown under field conditions where treatments were assigned in split plot arrangement by keeping tillage practices (conventional tillage, minimum tillage and deep tillage) in main plots while sowing methods (flat sowing, ridge sowing and bed sowing) in sub-plots and repeated thrice. Conclusively, tillage practices and sowing methods significantly improved maize growth, yield and yield contributing traits. Ridge sowing under deep tillage resulted in maximum grains and grain weight per cob, 1000-grain weight, grain and biological yield as well as harvest index. Regarding economics of the crop, maximum marginal rate of return (2232.79%) was recorded in ridge sown maize under conventional tillage.
