Soil physical properties and grain yield of spring maize (Zea mays L.) as influence by tillage practices and mulch treatments

Abstract

Soil provides suitable media for plant growth and development during the whole crop life cycle. The agronomic management practices can improve the soil fertility and crop productivity on sustainable basis. To explore the effects of some agromanagement practices on the spring maize, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, during spring season 2010 and 2011, using randomized complete block design with split block design arrangements. The experiment comprised of four tillage treatments viz: zero tillage (T1), minimum tillage (T2), conventional tillage (T3) and deep tillage (T4) in the main plots, while the four mulch treatments i.e. control (M1), black plastic mulch (M2), wheat straw mulch 10 Mg ha-1 (M3) and grass mulch 10 Mg ha-1 (M4) in the sub plots. Irrigation was provided according to crop requirement and herbicides were applied to control the weeds. All the tillage practices significantly affected (p<0.05) the different soil physical properties i.e. soil bulk density, soil total porosity, water infiltration rate and root penetration resistance. Deep tillage practice and black plastic mulch significantly increased the grain yield (m-2) of spring maize than the zero tillage, minimum tillage, conventional tillage, no mulch, wheat straw mulch and rice straw mulch in both years of study. The two years field results suggested that the mulches improved soil aeration and water infiltration rate, lower the soil bulk density and root penetration resistance than the control treatments.