Yield Components of Sweet Corn (Zea Mays) and Some Soil Physical Properties towards Different Tillage Methods and Plant population

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the three tillage systems and three corn plant populations on selected soil physical properties and yield components of sweet corn for Serdang soil series (Typic Paleodults) at the Research Farm of University Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Malaysia. The experimental design was a 2×3 factorial treatments based on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) for soil analysis and a 3×3 factorial treatment based on RCBD for yield and yield components of sweet corn (Zea mays) analysis with three replications. The three tillage systems were moldboard plow followed by once disc harrowing (MPD), disc plow followed by once disc harrowing (DPD) and rotary cultivator (RC) only, as control on soil physical properties at two depths of 0-10 cm and 20-30 cm; and also their effects on yield and selected yield components of sweet corn at the three seeding rates (or seed spacing of 20, 30 and 40 cm). The results showed that the measured soil physical properties at the two depths of the plots (before tillage operation) were homogeneous at three plots and the two depths. Although WI was higher and resistance to penetration (RP) was lower in RC plot at the upper layer, however this condition had negative influence on crop yield. The highest value of crop yield at any given seed spacing occurred in DPD plot and decreased in MPD and RC plots, respectively. Interaction effects of the two factors, tillage and planting density were found to be significant on row length of kernels on cob corn, yield of sweet corn and total weight of dry matter.