Effect of Tillage Practices on Soil Properties and Yield of Maize Grown on Warin Soil

Abstract

A study on the effect of tillage on the change of soil properties, nitrogen leaching away from root zone, yield and plant nutrient uptake of maize grown on Warin soil series (Arenic Haplustult) was carried out in Ban Nonsomboon, Krissana sub-district, Sikhiu Nakhon district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. The experimental design employing randomized complete block design consisted of four various tillage methods as follow; conventional
tillage (using 3-disc followed by 7-disc plough), reduced tillage (using only 7-disc plough), mulch tillage (using 7-disc plough with plant residues left to cover soil surface) and no-tillage. Results showed that conventional tillage tended to give a maximum grain yield of 566 kg/rai. The lowest amount of grain yield (479 kg/rai) coincided with the lowest major plant nutrients uptakes was obtained from no tillage plot. Conservation tillage (reduced-, mulch- and no-tillage) tended to improve water aggregate stability, and increase available water capacity, organic matter, and plant nutrient availability of the soil compared to conventional tillage. Ploughing the soil by only 7-disc ploughing
equipment with plant residues left on soil surface was the best method in the context of preventing nitrogen
leaching from the root zone. No tillage practice significantly induced the highest bulk density value (1.55 Mg/m3) of soil at the depth of 10-20 cm.