Abstract
Long-term field experiments were established ona tropical Alfisol at the research farm of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to evaluate effects of two tillage, mulch, and fertilizer treatments on maize (Zea mays L.) yield. Two crops of maize were grown every year, from late March to late July, and from September to December. Trends in maize yields are presented for the 17 crops grown from 1979 through 1987. Average maize grain yield was 2.69 Mg/ha with no-till and 2.23 Mg/ha with plow-till during the first growing season, and 0.88 Mg/ha with no-rill and 0.74 with plow-till for the second growing season. Application of residue mulch increased average yield from 2.33 Mg/ha to 2.59 Mg/ha during the first growing season, and from 0.69 Mg/ha to 0.79 Mg/ha during the second growing season. Application of fertilizer increased maize yield from 1.90 Mg/ha to 3.03 Mg/ha during the first growing season, and from 0.65 Mg/ha to 0.98 Mg/ha during the second growing season. In contrast with grain yields, stover yield was greater with the plow-till than the no-till system during the first growing season, but not in the second. Stover yield increased significantly with mulch and fertilizer application. Maize grain yield wsa sustained with mulch and fertilizer application. Maize grain yield was sustained with mulch and fertilizer in no-till system, which was more effective with fertilizer and residue mulch than without. Mulch application increased grain and stover yields only when fertilizer was applied. These results have application for Alfisols in the sub-humid regions of western Africa with a bimodal rainfall pattern and with a total annual rainfall of about 1200 mm to 1500 mm. The data presented support the conclusion that satisfactory maize yields with continuous and intensive cropping are possible with use of chemical fertilizers, residue mulch, and a no-till system during the first growing season. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) or another short-season crop may be more appropriate than maize during the second season. Since these experiments were done with manual operations, the results are applicable to small-size and unmechanized farms. With mechanized farm operations, soil compaction may become a severe problem, especially with no-till farming.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
No-till grain yield exceeded plow-till in the first season.
- Treatment
- no-tille0
- Outcome
- maize grain yielde0
- Value
- 2.69 Mg/hae0
- Qualifier
- 2.23 Mg/hae0
- Comparator
- plow-tille0
Zea maysNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Average maize grain yield was 2.69 Mg/ha with no-till and 2.23 Mg/ha with plow-till during the first growing season”
Claim · model-written summary
No-till grain yield exceeded plow-till in the second season.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“0.88 Mg/ha with no-rill and 0.74 with plow-till for the second growing season”
t0“maize (Zea mays L.) yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Residue mulch increased first-season yield from 2.33 to 2.59 Mg/ha.
- Treatment
- residue mulche0
- Outcome
- average yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 2.59 Mg/hae0
- Qualifier
- 2.33 Mg/hae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of residue mulch increased average yield from 2.33 Mg/ha to 2.59 Mg/ha during the first growing season”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Residue mulch increased second-season yield from 0.69 to 0.79 Mg/ha.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“from 0.69 Mg/ha to 0.79 Mg/ha during the second growing season”
t0“Maize Yield”
t1“Application of residue mulch increased average yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Fertilizer increased first-season maize yield from 1.90 to 3.03 Mg/ha.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of fertilizer increased maize yield from 1.90 Mg/ha to 3.03 Mg/ha during the first growing season”
Claim · model-written summary
Fertilizer increased second-season maize yield from 0.65 to 0.98 Mg/ha.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“from 0.65 Mg/ha to 0.98 Mg/ha during the second growing season”
t0“Maize Yield”
t1“Application of fertilizer increased maize yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Plow-till produced more first-season stover than no-till.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“stover yield was greater with the plow-till than the no-till system during the first growing season”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Plow-till did not produce more second-season stover than no-till.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“but not in the second”
t0“Maize Yield”
t1“stover yield was greater with the plow-till than the no-till system”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulch significantly increased stover yield.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Stover yield increased significantly with mulch and fertilizer application”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Fertilizer significantly increased stover yield.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Stover yield increased significantly with mulch and fertilizer application”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulch increased grain yield only with fertilizer.
- Treatment
- Mulch applicatione0
- Outcome
- graine0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- only when fertilizer was appliede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Mulch application increased grain and stover yields only when fertilizer was applied”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulch increased stover yield only with fertilizer.
- Treatment
- Mulch applicatione0
- Outcome
- stover yieldse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- only when fertilizer was appliede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Mulch application increased grain and stover yields only when fertilizer was applied”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that fertilizers, mulch and no-till can support satisfactory first-season maize yields under continuous intensive cropping.
- Treatment
- chemical fertilizers, residue mulch, and a no-till systeme0
- Outcome
- satisfactory maize yieldse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“satisfactory maize yields with continuous and intensive cropping are possible with use of chemical fertilizers, residue mulch, and a no-till system during the first growing season”
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- negative
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See all 1,099 papers →fertilization · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
3,484 papers in the same direction as this paper · 338 in the opposite direction · 85 reporting no difference from an alternative
- positive
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See all 3,908 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.