Impact of Tillage and Nitrogen Management Practices on Growth and Yield of Rabi Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in sandy loam soils of Agricultural Research Station, Karimnagar during Rabi, 2022 in a split-plot design with three replications. Main plots includes three tillage practices viz., Zero tillage, Reduced tillage and Conventional tillage and sub plots includes three nitrogen levels viz., 75 %N, 100%N and 125%N. The results revealed that, maize cultivation under conventional tillage recorded significantly higher grain yield (8324 kg ha-1) which is statistically on par with reduced tillage treatment (7775 kg ha-1). In turn reduced tillage was statistically comparable to zero-tillage treatment (7353kg ha-1). Among different nitrogen levels examined, maize sown with 125% N application achieved significantly highest grain yield (8055 kg ha-1). This yield was statistically comparable to grain yield observed with 100% N application (7896 kg ha-1). While, significantly lowest grain yield (7501 kg ha-1) was recorded with 75% N application. Significantly highest grain yield in conventional tillage which is statistically on par with reduced tillage and among nitrogen levels, highest grain yield with 125%N which is on par with 100% N may attributed to increase in crop growth parameters viz., plant height, leaf area index and higher yield attributes viz., cob length and diameter, kernel rows number. The study concludes that maize cultivation with conventional tillage or reduced tillage results in higher grain yield. Concerning different nitrogen levels, higher grain and economic yield was obtained with 100% N application.