Effect of soil tillage and maize-grass intercropping followed by grass management on soil properties and yield of rainfed maize
2007
Ahadiyat, Y.R. (Jenderal Soedirman Univ., Purwokerto (Indonesia). Faculty of Agriculture) | Ranamukhaarachchi, S.L. (Asian Inst. of Technology, Pathumthani (Thailand). School of Environment, Resources and Development)
This study was conducted in Indonesia during dry season to determine the effect of preceding tillage and maize-grass intercropping in the preceding wet season followed by the management of grasses in the succeeding dry season on soil properties and yield of rainfed maize. During the preceding wet season, maize was intercropped with clump grass, lemon grass and elephant grass under three tillage methods (conventional tillage, deep tillage & no tillage). During dry season, grass rows were slashed in one half of killed in the other half and plots occupied by preceding sole maize combined with conventional tillage as a control. Maize was grown alone with the recommended population. Soil properties, growth and yield of maize were recorded. Soil bulk density and organic C were lowest in control, while soil porosity was opposite. Preceding plots occupied by maize intercropped with either clump grass (4.66 kg plot-1), elephant grass (5.96 kg plot-1) or lemon grass (6.26 kg plot-1) grown under conventional tillage and killing grasses at land preparation gave a significantly higher yield than control (4.91 kg plot-1). Deep tillage also gave similar yield increases, but required special machinery for land preparation.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Research Centre