MEMON S.Q., MIRZA B. BAIG, MARI G.R., SHABBIR A.
Abstract
An experiment was carried out at Latif Experimental Farm, Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam during 2004, in order to assess the effect of tillage on soil physical properties growth and yield of maize under different sowing methods. The maize variety Akbar was planted on clay loam soil under three different methods ridge, drilling and broadcasting using RCBD. It was found that soil moisture content was higher in ridge sowing method as compared to other sowing methods. While bulk density and soil strength were relatively lower in ridge sowing plots as compared to seed drill and seed broadcasting plots. The results of agronomic observations revealed that plant height, number of leaves/plant, number of cobs/plant, dry cob weight, seed index, root length
and total grain yield/ha were superior in ridge sowing, the second best was seed drilling, while seed broadcasting was found to be less effective. Maize sown on ridges resulted in greater seed emergence 89%, plant height 155.1 cm, weight of hulled dry cob 177.67 g, de-hulled dry cob 127.53 g and seed index 198.26 g, which in turn caused greater grain yield 6.35 t/ha, the next best was seed drilling, while seed broadcasting was not effective as other two methods.
Key words:
tillage practices, sowing methods, emergence, growth, yield, maize.