Abstract
Maize productivity in semi-arid regions is hindered by soil compaction, reduced fertility, and inefficient resource management. These factors result in limited water infiltration and root growth, reduced organic matter and enhanced erosion, and excessive fertilizer use and inadequate irrigation scheduling. To address these challenges, field experiments were conducted at the Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. The study evaluated the effects of four tillage methods (zero tillage; cultivator twice + planking; moldboard plough + cultivator twice + planking; chisel plough + cultivator twice + planking) and three mulching treatments (no mulching; plastic mulch; sorghum straw mulch at 5 t/ha), on maize performance. The results showed that chisel ploughing increased plant height by 14.1%, cob length by 12.5%, grains per cob by 21.5%, and grain yield by 24.5% compared to zero tillage. Sorghum straw mulch also improved plant height by 10.3%, cob length by 9.1%, and grains per cob by 15.6% compared to no mulching. Water use efficiency (WUE) significantly improved by 27% and 33% in 2017 and 2018, respectively with chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulch. The combination of chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulch achieved the highest economic returns, with a net income of Rs. 89853/ha and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.82, which was 64% higher than the lowest BCR recorded with zero tillage and plastic mulching. In conclusion, chisel plough + cultivator twice + planking and sorghum straw mulching are effective practices for enhancing maize yield, WUE, and economic viability in semi-arid regions. These findings have important implications for sustainable maize production and resource management in water-scarce areas.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Chisel ploughing increased maize plant height by 14.1% versus zero tillage.
- Treatment
- chisel ploughinge0
- Outcome
- plant heighte0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 14.1%e0
- Comparator
- zero tillagee0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“chisel ploughing increased plant height by 14.1%, cob length by 12.5%, grains per cob by 21.5%, and grain yield by 24.5% compared to zero tillage.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Chisel ploughing increased maize cob length by 12.5% versus zero tillage.
- Treatment
- chisel ploughinge0
- Outcome
- cob lengthe0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 12.5%e0
- Comparator
- zero tillagee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“chisel ploughing increased plant height by 14.1%, cob length by 12.5%, grains per cob by 21.5%, and grain yield by 24.5% compared to zero tillage.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Chisel ploughing increased maize grains per cob by 21.5% versus zero tillage.
- Treatment
- chisel ploughinge0
- Outcome
- grains per cobe0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 21.5%e0
- Comparator
- zero tillagee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“chisel ploughing increased plant height by 14.1%, cob length by 12.5%, grains per cob by 21.5%, and grain yield by 24.5% compared to zero tillage.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Chisel ploughing increased maize grain yield by 24.5% versus zero tillage.
- Treatment
- chisel ploughinge0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 24.5%e0
- Comparator
- zero tillagee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“chisel ploughing increased plant height by 14.1%, cob length by 12.5%, grains per cob by 21.5%, and grain yield by 24.5% compared to zero tillage.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorghum straw mulch increased maize plant height by 10.3% versus no mulch.
- Treatment
- Sorghum straw mulche0
- Outcome
- plant heighte0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 10.3%e0
- Comparator
- no mulchinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sorghum straw mulch also improved plant height by 10.3%, cob length by 9.1%, and grains per cob by 15.6% compared to no mulching.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorghum straw mulch increased maize cob length by 9.1% versus no mulch.
- Treatment
- Sorghum straw mulche0
- Outcome
- cob lengthe0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 9.1%e0
- Comparator
- no mulchinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sorghum straw mulch also improved plant height by 10.3%, cob length by 9.1%, and grains per cob by 15.6% compared to no mulching.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorghum straw mulch increased maize grains per cob by 15.6% versus no mulch.
- Treatment
- Sorghum straw mulche0
- Outcome
- grains per cobe0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 15.6%e0
- Comparator
- no mulchinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Sorghum straw mulch also improved plant height by 10.3%, cob length by 9.1%, and grains per cob by 15.6% compared to no mulching.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Chisel ploughing and sorghum mulch significantly improved WUE by 27% in 2017.
- Treatment
- chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulche0
- Outcome
- Water use efficiencye0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 27%e0
- Setting
- 2017e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water use efficiency (WUE) significantly improved by 27% and 33% in 2017 and 2018, respectively with chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulch.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Chisel ploughing and sorghum mulch significantly improved WUE by 33% in 2018.
- Treatment
- chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulche0
- Outcome
- Water use efficiencye0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 33%e0
- Setting
- 2018e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Water use efficiency (WUE) significantly improved by 27% and 33% in 2017 and 2018, respectively with chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulch.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The treatment combination produced the highest net income, Rs. 89853/ha.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The combination of chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulch achieved the highest economic returns, with a net income of Rs. 89853/ha and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.82, which was 64% higher than the lowest BCR recorded with zero tillage and plastic mulching.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The treatment combination produced a benefit-cost ratio of 1.82, 64% above zero tillage with plastic mulch.
- Treatment
- chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulche0
- Outcome
- benefit-cost ratioe0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 1.82e0
- Qualifier
- 64%e0
- Comparator
- zero tillage and plastic mulchinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The combination of chisel ploughing and sorghum straw mulch achieved the highest economic returns, with a net income of Rs. 89853/ha and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.82, which was 64% higher than the lowest BCR recorded with zero tillage and plastic mulching.”
t0“Maize Yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend chisel ploughing plus sorghum straw mulch for maize yield, WUE, and economic viability.
- Outcome
- chisel plough + cultivator twice + planking and sorghum straw mulchinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“chisel plough + cultivator twice + planking and sorghum straw mulching are effective practices for enhancing maize yield, WUE, and economic viability in semi-arid regions.”
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See all 373 papers →8 of 9 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
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.