Effect of Ploughing Depth and Manure on Corn Yield

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of three tillage and three manure treatments on some soil physical properties, grain yield and some yield components of corn. The tillage treatments were no tillage (To), chisel plough to 10 cm (T 1 ) , and to 20 cm (T 2 ) soil depth. The manure treatments were, cattle manure (M 1 ), rice straw (M 2 ), and (½ cattle manure + ½ rice straw) (M 3 ). Measurements of soil bulk density (Bd) and soil penetration resistance (PR) were taken to quantify the ploughing depth. Available water capacity (AWC) was calculated for all treatments. The measurements were taken twice, after ploughing and before harvest. Yield and yield components (weight of 100 grain yield (gm), weight of ear (gm), and grain yield/fed.) were obtained. The data showed that the lowest (Bd) and (PR) were obtained in the surface layer of T 2 and M 2 treatments while, the highest (AWC) was recorded in T 0 and M 2 treatments. The results also showed that the highest 100 grain weight, ear weight and grain yield were obtained with T 2 as compared with T 1 and To. However, the difference among the ploughing treatments was not significant. Application of manure showed that the highest 100 grain weight, ear weight and grain yield of corn were recorded with (M 2 ) comparing with (M1) and (M3) treatments. Interaction effect between ploughing depth and manure treatments influenced the grain yield, and the yield components. The combination treatment (T 2 M 2 ) recorded the highest 100 grain weight, ear weight and grain yield. A significant difference between (T 2 M 2 ) and (T 2 M 3 ) was obtained. These results concluded that the combination of soil ploughing to 20 cm depth with the application of rice straw increased corn grain yield. This increase is due to the effect of tillage and the incorporation of rice straw on the improvement of the soil physical properties.