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Pak. J. Bot., 47(4): 1249-1258, 2015.

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EFFECTS OF TILLAGE METHODS, CORN RESIDUE MULCH AND N FERTILIZER LEVELS ON THE WHEAT CROP PRODUCTIVITY UNDER THE RAIN FED CONDITION OF LOESS PLATEAU CHINA

SIKANDER KHAN TANVEER^1,2, JUNL LI ZHANG¹, XING LI LU ¹, XIAOXIA WEN¹, JAINGBO HAI¹, YANG LIU¹, HANJUAN¹, M. Ali³ AND YUNCHENG LIAO^1*

Abstract: A 2 years study was conducted to assess the effects of different tillage methods (Chisel plough tillage, Zero-tillage, Rotary tillage and Mould board plough tillage), two mulch levels (M0 i.e. No corn residue mulch and M1 i.e. Corn residue mulch) and 5 N fertilizer levels (0, 80, 160, 240 and 320 kg N/ha) on the wheat crop productivity under the rain fed condition of Loess Plateau, China. Factorial experiment with three replications, having strip, split-split arrangement, with tillage methods in the main plots, mulch levels in sub- plots and N-fertilizer levels in the sub-sub plots was used for this study. Due to variations in rainfalls, during the year, 2010-11, maximum grain yields i.e. 6.58 t/ha and 6.72 t/ha were recorded in case of Zero tillage planting method and similarly in case of 80 kg N/ha, while during the cropping year 2011-12 equal grain yields were recorded in case of all tillage methods, however maximum grain yield (7.46 t /ha) was recorded in case of 320 kg N/ha, N fertilizer level. On two years average basis, maximum grain yields i.e. 6.75 t/ha and 6.80 t/ha were recorded in case of Zero tillage planting method and similarly in case of 80 kg N/ha as compared with the other tillage methods or N fertilizer levels. Use of mulch reduced > 40% weeds infestation. Economic analysis shows that Zero tillage and minimum use of N fertilizer according to the projected rainfalls along with the use of mulch are both economic and environmental friendly.

Key words: Tillage methods, Mulch, N fertilizer, Rain fed condition, Wheat, Loess plateau.

¹College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, 712100 Yangling, China

²Wheat Programme, National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Park Road Islamabad Pakistan

³Department of Biotechnology Sind Agriculture University Tando Jam Hyderabad Sind Pakistan

^*Corresponding author’s e-mail: yunchengliao@163.com or yunchengliao@nwsuaf.edu.cn; Tel.: +86-29-87082990