Effect of tillage methods and phosphorous fertilizer treatments on some physical properties and productivity of maize crop in calcareous soil

Abstract EN

A field experiment was conducted along two successive seasons of summer (2014 and 2015) at El-Nubaria Agricultural Experimental Station of the Agricultural Research Center (A.R.C), west of Alexandria.

The experiment was laid out to evaluate the effect of two tillage methods: conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) and five phosphorous fertilizer treatments in sub plot as follows: P0: without addition, PG1: 240 kg ha-1, PG2: 480 kg ha-1 as granular, PP1: 240 kg ha-1 and PP2: 480 kg ha-1 as powder on soil and maize plant ( Zea mays L.) .

Tillage methods affected increased of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) and total porosity (TP), decreased the bulk density of soil under conventional tillage (CT).

Effects occurred in the three depths of the soil layers (0-10), (10-20) and (20-30) cm.

The reduction percentages of bulk density values were 8.2, 2.9 and 4.9 % for the three layers, respectively.

Yields were increased under CT as compared to no NT.

the harvest index was not significantly affected.

There were differences in yield responding to phosphorus treatments.

Under CT, granular P gave higher yields than powder P and the reverse occurred under NT.

Phosphorous content and uptake of grain and straw were significantly affected by phosphorus treatments under both tillage methods.

Conventional tillage increased P content and uptake in grain by 14 and 31 % respectively, corresponding increase in P content and uptake in straw were 27 and 45 % respectively.

Under CT, treatment PG2 recorded the highest values of P content and uptake in grain (0.793 % and 59.59kgha-1).

Corresponding increase in P content and uptake in straw were 0.330 % and 36.79kgha-1.

Under NT, the treatment PP2 was recorded the highest values (0.777 % and 52.56 kg ha-1) for phosphorous content and uptake for grain only