Influence of Tillage and Poultry Manure on the Physical Properties of Grain and Yield Attributes of Spring Maize (Zea mays L.)

Grains are the economical part of maize that demand proper management practices to achieve the crop potential. The study explored the influence of different tillage practices and poultry manure levels on the grain length, breadth, area, grains weight per cob and grains yield per m2of maize at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, during spring 2010 and 2011. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement, having four tillage practices as main plot treatments, zero tillage (direct seed sowing with dibbler), minimum tillage (one cultivation with normal cultivator followed by planking), conventional tillage (2–3 cultivations with normal cultivator followed by planking) and deep tillage (two deep ploughing with chisel plough + one cultivation with normal cultivator followed by planking). Sub plot treatments were three poultry manure levels; control (no poultry manure), poultry manure at the amount of 5 Mg ha-1 and poultry manure at 10 Mg ha-1. Data indicated that the deep tillage practice significantly improved the maize grain physical properties and yield over the other tillage practices in both years of study. Increasing order of poultry manure dose treatments produced the good and healthy seeds over the control treatment. A positive correlation between grain yield, physical properties of maize grain and grains weight per cob was recorded

Influence of Tillage and Mulch on Soil Physical Properties and Wheat Yield in Rice-Wheat System

Zero tillage along with application of mulch is an important strategy for soil conservation which maintains sustainability of agricultural system. A randomized complete block design in a split plot arrangement was used with four tillage methods [conventional tillage, (CT); deep tillage, (DT); zero tillage with zone disc tiller, (ZDT); and happy seeder, (HS)] in main plots and five mulch materials [no mulch, (M0); rice straw, (MRice); wheat straw, (MWheat); plastic sheet, (MPlastic) at 4 t ha-1, and natural mulch, (MNatural)] in subplots during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Results showed that DT significantly decreased soil bulk density, penetration resistance, and volumetric moisture content when compared with CT, ZDT, and HS. However, wheat yield parameters such as germination count, fertile tillers, grain yield and water use efficiency were significantly higher in HS compared with other tillage treatments while root length and grain protein were higher in DT. Plant height remained non-significant during 2009-10, while in 2010-11 it differed significantly and was higher in HS than other tillage treatments. Wheat yield parameters were significantly higher in MPlastic at 4 t ha-1 than other mulch materials. Happy seeder and deep tillage along with plastic mulch have positive impact on soil physical properties, root growth, water use efficiency and yield parameters by creating a favorable soil environment

Nitrogen Mineralization in Texturally Contrasting Soils Subjected to Different Organic Amendments under Semi-Arid Climates

Nitrogen (N) is the prime essential nutrient for agricultural productivity, and its deficiency is overcome through the application of fertilizers. However, the rate of N mineralization from organic N sources is an important process to be monitored for efficient N use and sustainable agricultural management. Laboratory incubation studies were conducted for a period of 150 days to measure N mineralization (N-min) from different organic amendments (OA) in texturally contrasting soils collected at three locations: SL1 (Bahawalpur, sandy loam), SL2 (Bahawalnagar, sandy loam), and SL3 (Rahim Yar Khan, sandy clay loam). A second study was also carried out for 25 days to monitor pH dynamics and ammonia volatilization from the same three OA-treated soils. The results showed that there was no significant difference in net N-min between the soils for poultry manure (PMO) and feather meal (FMO), even if there was a substantial N-min observed for PMC + FMO followed by poultry manure compost (PMC) at SL2 and SL3 soils. This might have happened due to higher microbial biomass carbon (257), nitrogen (61), fungal colonization (88 cfu g(-1) soil) and enzyme activity (79) in SL3 soil receiving PMC + FMO after 150 days of incubation. However, the first-order kinetic model (R-2 = 0.86-0.95) better explained the N-min in all three soils amended with OA (PMC + FMO). The soil pH had more pronounced effects on N-min in all three soils. A non-significant amount of ammonia volatilization was recorded regardless of the initial pH, buffering capacity, and texture variability of the soils. Further study on the particle size of OA and soil pH is warranted to determine the actual effect of OA on N-min