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Traffic‐induced compaction in maize, cowpea and soya bean production on a tropical alfisol after ploughing and no‐tillage: Crop growth
Author(s) -
Kayambo Benedict,
Lal Rattan,
Mrema Geofrey C.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740371202
Subject(s) - plough , alfisol , agronomy , tillage , mathematics , leaf area index , compaction , crop , yield (engineering) , biology , soil water , ecology , materials science , composite material , metallurgy
An experiment was conducted over three consecutive seasons during 1982 and 1983 to evaluate the effects of traffic‐induced compaction on growth and yield of maize, cowpea and soya bean grown in a tropical Alfisol for no‐tillage and ploughed systems. Compaction treatments of no, two and four passes of a 2‐tonne roller were used on the sub‐plots. The roller was 60 cm in diameter, 180 cm long, with a contact area of 0.1729 m 2 and was pulled by a 33.6 kW tractor. The four‐pass treatment reduced percentage emergence, plant height, leaf number, leaf area index, and dry matter yield of maize, cowpea and soya bean. These reductions were more marked on ploughed than on no‐till plots. The two‐and four‐pass treatments significantly reduced root growth of maize, cowpea and soya bean in the 0–70 mm depth, but the reduction in root density was greater in ploughed than in no‐tillage. The two‐and four‐pass compaction treatments reduced plant nutrient uptake and grain yield of maize, cowpea and soya bean. The four‐pass treatment reduced maize grain yield by 48% in all seasons under no‐tillage and by 53, 61 and 75% after ploughing in the first, second and third consecutive cropping seasons respectively, compared to the yield of the relevant non‐compacted treatment. Cowpea yield was reduced by 38% in all seasons after no‐tillage and by 39, 50 and 57% after ploughing during the first, second and third consecutive cropping season respectively. The response of soya bean to four‐pass compaction resulted in yield reduction by 50,64 and 25% after no‐tillage and by 47, 48 and 65% after ploughing in the first, second and third consecutive cropping season, respectively. Crop yields were found to be negatively correlated with soil bulk density, penetrometer resistance, and relative compaction, and positively correlated with infiltration rate, soil moisture content and specific volume. Multiple regression equations were also developed between crop yield and soil properties.