Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: January-March | Volume: 3 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 48-55
Effect of Tillage Methods on Soil Properties, Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) in Makurdi, Nigeria
A. Ali1, M. Usman2, A.O. Adaikwu1
1Deptartment of Soil Science, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
2Department of Agricultural Science, Federal College of Education (Technical), Potiskum, Nigeria
Corresponding Author: A. Ali
ABSTRACT
The research was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture Makurdi to evaluate the effect of five (5) tillage methods on soil properties, growth and yield of maize. The experimental design consisted of five (5) treatments that were replicated three times and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). These treatments are: Surface tillage (T1), ridges (T2), zero tillage (T3), heaps (T4) and tied ridges (T5). Each plot measured 5 m x 5 m with spacing of 1 m between replicates and 0.5 m between plots in the same replicate thus giving a total plot size of 17 m x 27 m (459 m2). A composite soil sample was obtained from a plough layer (0-15 cm) at the beginning and at the end of the experiment according to the treatments and analyzed for soil properties in the Advanced Soil Science Laboratory, University of Agriculture Makurdi. Data collected for the growth and yield parameters of maize were subjected to the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) after which significant means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at P<0.05. The results of the study showed that the various tillage methods had no significant effect on the soil properties. However, there was significant effect on some of the growth parameters as well as the yield of maize. It can be concluded that all the tillage methods be adopted or utilized for maize production in Makurdi sub-humid region and also the surface tillage should be utilized the most since it gave the highest grain yield of maize.
Keywords: Tillage Methods, Soil Properties, Growth and Yield of Maize.