Effect of Tillage Methods on the Growth and Yield of Maize (zeamays)

ABSTRACTThis study was conducted with the aim to determine the effect of tillage method on the Growth and yield of Maize. The experiment was carried out at the Experimental farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Ambrose Alli University, Ujemen, Main Campus, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. The treatment was laid out in Randomize Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and one maize variety. Maize (TZSR-W) was used as the test crop. The three tillage methods include, Zero tillage (ZT), Plough (PL) and Ploughing + Harrow (HA). Data were collected at 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 weeks after planting, assessing parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, stem girth, and leaf area. The results showed that ploughing (PL) consistently led to the highest growth performance, with significant increases in plant height, leaf area, and overall biomass accumulation. At 14 weeks, PL recorded the highest plant height (325.77 cm) and leaf area (775.5 cm²) compared to ZT (285.43 cm and 634.4 cm²) and HA (279.7 cm and 683.0 cm²). Similarly, maize yield was significantly higher under PL (8.17 T/ha) than HA (6.67 T/ha) and ZT (4.60 T/ha). The findings suggest that while ploughing enhances maize growth and yield, zero tillage may offer long-term benefits such as improved soil structure and moisture retention. Future research should explore the sustainability of these tillage systems under varying climatic and soil conditions.