EFFECT OF TILLAGE TREATMENTS AND FARMYARD MANURE APPLICATION ON SOME PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SOIL AND MAIZE PRODUCTION

This study was conducted during 1998 and 1999 seasons at El-Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station, to study the effect of tillage treatments and farmyard manure (FYM) application on some physical properties of the soil and maize variety single cross 10 production.
Bulk density and penetration resistance tended to decrease with tillage treatments, while hydraulic conductivity and infiltration rate were increased compared with no-tillage treatment. The values of bulk density and resistance of penetration of surface layer (0-15 cm) were always less than of subsurface layer under different tillage treatments. The best tillage treatment was chisel two ways and rotary tiller (C₂ + R.T.), which caused a good physical properties and gave high yield of grain and straw.
Farmyard manure (20 m³/fed) reduced the bulk density and penetration resistance, while increased hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, grain and straw yields.
The improving effect of ploughing and F.Y.M. on bulk density and hydraulic conductivity values had continued till the harvest as compared with the initial state specially for C₂ + R.T. and C₁ + R.T. treatments at the tilled layer of 0-30 cm depth.