Effects of tillage and intercropping with grass on soil properties and yield of rainfed maize.

Abstract

Maize is grown as a rainfed crop during wet and dry seasons in Lampung, Indonesia and gives low yield. This study was conducted to determine the effects of intercropping with grasses and tillage practices on soil physical properties and grain yield in the wet season. Three tillage methods i.e. no tillage, conventional tillage and deep tillage and four cropping patterns; sole maize, maize intercropped with clump grass (Vetiveria zizanoides), elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum), and lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) were tested. Both conventional and deep tillage increased yield components and harvest index of maize compared to no tillage, but grain yield remained unchanged among cropping patterns. Deep tillage maintained lower bulk density and greater porosity and organic C in deep soils than conventional and no tillage. Maize intercropped with clump grass decreased bulk density and increased porosity and organic C compared to other cropping patterns. This enhanced the soil capacity to store and mobilizes water and nutrients in deep soil profiles, which is likely to enhance growth and yield of the succeeding maize crop.