Effect of conservation tillage systems on growth, yield and yield components of soybean

Abstract

Conservation tillage systems have been used during recent years in many areas of Iran. In this study, the effect of conservation tillage on soybean yield, yield components and phenological characteristics was evaluated in Golestan province located at the northern Iran. Four different treatments including conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), no- tillage with no-till planter (NT-Planter) and no-tillage with no-till grain drill (NT-Grain Drill) were considered. A randomized complete block design with four replications was designed for the experiment. Soybean yield and yield components and some phenological characteristics were measured. Data were analyzed using SAS software and Duncan’s multiple range tests was used to compare the means. The results of two year experiments showed that in year 2012, NT-Grain drill with mean yield of 3612 kg ha-1 had the highest yield while the treatment MT had the lowest yield of 2794 kg ha-1. In year 2013, NT-Planter had the highest yield of 3617 kg ha-1 whereas CT method had the lowest yield of 3054 kg ha-1. It was concluded that NT methods with respect to yield increase are appropriate alternative to replace conventional tillage method in soybean cultivation. Phenological characteristics gave promising response to conservation tillage especially to no tillage.