THE EFFECTS OF REDUCED TILLAGE AND COMPACTION LEVEL ON THE RED LENTIL YIELD

S. Altikat

Abstract: A two year - field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of three tillage treatments and three intra-row compaction levels on sowing performance, weed population, red lentil yield and yield components. The tillage treatments were: (1) conventional tillage (moldboard plow + disk harrow + float - CT); (2) reduced tillage 1 (horizontal axis rotary tiller - RT1); (3) reduced tillage 2 (vertical axis rotary tiller with roller - RT2). Intra-row compaction levels were: (1) no compaction (C0), (2) 60
kPa compaction (C1) and (3) 90 kPa compaction (C2). Results concluded that reduced tillage systems provided the best results of sowing performance and weed density. However, the highest crop yield was observed at the plot with tilled conventional tillage systems. Additionally, the increase in the intra-row compaction level improved sowing performance and crop yields.

Keywords: conventional tillage; penetration resistance; sowing performance; weed density; yield component

Date published: 2019-01-28