EFFECT OF TILLAGE SYSTEM ON THE PRODUCTION OF SOME VEGETABLE CROPS.

Abstract

This study was conducted at the experimental farm of the horticultural department at the Faculty of Agricultural Studies of the Sudan University of Science and Technology. Four groups of land preparation implements have been tested through four different methods. A disc plough followed by a disc harrow (DPDH), a disc plough followed by a rotary tiller (rotovator) (DPR), a disc plough followed by a Kammarra (DPK) and a rotovator only ( R) have been used. The main purpose of the study was to determine which of the groups was the most appropriate to be used for seed bed preparation for iii selected fine seeded vegetables. Two crops, Rocket (Eruca vesicaria sub. Sp. Sativa L.) as a winter crop and Jew’s Mallow (chorchorus olitorius) as a summer crop, were chosen for the experiment, which have been tested through two consecutive seasons (2004/05) and (2005/06). Randomized Complete Block Design has been used to conduct the experiment and the generated data was subjected to Statistical Analysis System. Effect of different tillage methods upon soil water content and bulk density have been studied in two different depths. The first depth was at the surface layer (0 to 5 cm) and the second depth was (5 to 10 cm).Effect of previously mentioned tillage methods upon some plant parameters, such as the number of plants per hectare, length of plants, length of roots, number of leaves per plant and average yield in tons per hectare have been tested too. Gained average yield of both experimented crops was found to be higher than average yields mentioned in the reviewed literature. Rocket average yield was (8.87 t/fed), which is 18.27% higher than the reviewed average of (7.5 t/fed.) Also the average yield of Jew’s Mallow was (11.99 t / fed) with 25.5% more than the reviewed average of (9.55 t/fed.). According to the obtained results it was not clear which of the tested tillage methods was the most appropriate? As mentioned before the study showed slight differences in yield and in both plant and studied soil parameters. Evaluation between the different tillage methods according to those results was rather difficult, and we were iv ‫.‪most suitable for land preparation‬‬ ‫‪According to the economical analysis the least land preparation‬‬ ‫.‪cost was 32.32 SDG/hr. when the rotovator only was used‬‬ ‫‪The second lower operational cost was 54.76 SDG /hr and this‬‬ ‫.‪was when the disc plough was followed by the Kammarra‬‬ ‫‪Third lower cost was 62.25 SDG/hr, when the disc plough was‬‬ ‫.‪followed by the rotovator‬‬ ‫‪Highest cost was recorded when the disc plough was followed by‬‬ ‫.‪the disc harrow, which was found to be 63.95 SDG/hr‬‬ ‫م‬