Impact of Tillage practice and Mineral Fertilizer on Maize (Zea mays L) Production in Dugda Wereda, Meki, Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia

An experiment was conducted at Dugda Woreda in the central rift valley of Ethiopia under field condition to determine impacts of tillage type and mineral fertilizer on maize (Zea mays L.) production. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The experiment consisted of two tillage systems: tilled plot and not tilled plot assigned to the main plots and four types of fertilizers: DAP+UREA, UREA, TSP and no fertilizer as a control assigned to the subplot. Analysis of variance indicated that tillage had no significant (p>0.05) effect on plant height, leaf area, leaf number, biomass and grain yield. But fertilizer had significant (p<0.05) effect on plant height, leaf area, biomass and grain yield. The tallest plant height (178.24 cm) was recorded for application of DAP+UREA which was not statistically different from UREA alone while the shortest (143.31 cm) was recorded for the control treatment. The highest mean leaf area of 431.85cm2 and 282.25cm2 was recorded under the application of DAP+UREA and the control treatment respectively. Biological yield and grain yield obtained from application of DAP+UREA and UREA alone were statistically similar, but they differ from application of TSP and the control treatment. Tillage and fertilizer did not affect harvest index. Plant height and leaf area (R= 0.653**), biomass and yield (R= 0. 893**), tasseling and silking date (R= 0.725**) were positively and highly significantly (P<0.01) correlated. Similarly leaf number and leaf area (R=0.417*) as well as grain yield and harvest index (R=0.606*) were positively and significantly (p<0.05) correlated. Based on the current result it can be concluded that there was no significant impact of tillage on maize production in the study area. Fertilizer affected both biomass and yield of maize. Therefore based on the result of the current study, the use of zero tillage with application of DAP + UREA, could be recommend