Influence of tillage methods on soil moisture content and sorghum grain yield in vertisols of dryland farming northern gedarif

Abstract EN

A field experiment was carried out for two consecutive seasons (2003/04 and 2004/05) in the vertisols of the mechanized rainfed agricultural sector in the Northern region of Gedarif state, Sudan, to assess the effects of tillage methods on soil moisture content and sorghum grain yield.

The tested tillage methods were; chisel plowing (0.20 m), moldboard plowing (0.20 m), disk harrowing (0.09 m), wide level disk plowing (0.07 m) and zero-tillage.

The results revealed no significant difference in soil moisture content among the different tillage methods.

The wide level disk plowing resulted in a consistent yield throughout the two seasons compared to other tillage treatments.

Zero tillage and chisel plowing resulted in a significantly higher sorghum grain yield in the first season and combined analysis.

It is concluded that, zero-tillage is promising and justifiable for the production of rainfed sorghum.

KEY WORDS: Vertisols.

Tillage methods.

Soil moisture.

Rainfed sorghum