Abstract
Soil ploughing up to required depth and time of nitrogen application at different growth stages are important practices for
enhancing crop yield. The effect of different tillage systems and nitrogen application at different growth stages on yield and
yield components of hybrid maize was studied through 2-years field experiment. The experiments were laid out in RCBD with
split plot arrangements and main plots were allocated to tillage treatments viz. (T1: Conventional Tillage (2-Cultivation), T2:
Tillage with mould board plough + 2-Cultivation, T3: Tillage with Chisel plough + 2-Cultivation) while subplots to nitrogen
timings viz. (Whole at sowing (N1), ½ at sowing + ½ at V5 (5-leaf stage) (N2), ½ at sowing + ½ at tasseling (N3), ½ at V5 + ½
at tasseling (N4), 1/3 at sowing + 1/3 at V5 + 1/3 at tasseling (N5). The results indicated significant improvement of yield and
yield components through tillage and split application of nitrogen. Plots ploughed to deeper layers with chisel plough resulted
higher grains weight per cob (127.65±3.43; 134.45±3.66), 1000-grain weight (272.18±3.33; 306.40±3.08) and grain yield
(6.30±0.11; 7.04 ±0.13) during 2008 and 2009, respectively. Nitrogen application in three splits i.e. 1
/3 at sowing + 1
/3 at V5 +
1
/3 at tasseling resulted increased grains weight per cob, 1000-grain weight and grain yield. Interactive effect of tillage and
nitrogen treatments on maize gain yield found significant in 2008 while non-significant in 2009. Higher grain yield was
recorded with chisel plough along with N application in three splits during both study years. From current study, it may be
concluded that farmers should grow maize hybrids by cultivating the soil using chisel plough along with cultivator and applying
nitrogen in three splits to obtain higher grain yield.
