Effect of Tillage Methods on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Tropical High Terrace Soil Conditions, Northern Sudan

Abstract

This study was conducted for two consecutive winter seasons (2009/10-2010/11) at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Nile Valley University, Darmali, Sudan. The experimental design was randomized complete block with three replications. The treatments consisted of conservation tillage treatments disc plow followed by land leveler (DP), disc harrow followed by land leveler (DH) and zero tillage (ZT). The wheat variety Imam performance was studied. Results showed that, the maximum seedling emergence percentage (82%) was recorded in disc harrow (DH) treatment in the first season compared to 80 and 79 % for disc plow (DP) and zero tillage (ZT) treatments, respectively. Plant height and 1000-Kernel weight were not markedly influenced by tillage treatments over the two seasons. The harvest index was significantly affected by tillage methods; disc plow recorded the highest value (20.4%). However, the grain yield was significantly affected by tillage treatments over the two seasons. Conventional tillage systems (DP and DH) significantly improved grain yield as compared to conservation tillage system (ZT). The maximum grain yield recorded by conventional tillage system DH (1450 kg ha-1) followed by DP system (1326 kg ha-1) and ZT system (1098 kg ha-1). The economic cost of soil preparations of different tillage methods to produce one tone of grain was higher for DH and DP than ZT by 1456 and 2838 SDG for DH and DP, respectively. It can be concluded that, with an economic concern, zero tillage can be recommended for wheat cultivation under tropical high terrace soil conditions.