Response of Sorghum Yield to Mulching and Planting Methods on Dry Land Areas of Tigray, Ethiopia

by Open Science Repository Agriculture
(December 2013)

Abstract

The response of sorghum yield to mulching and planting methods was studied during 2006 main growing season of Alamata district, Tigray region. Treatments consisted of factorial combinations of five planting methods and three levels of sorghum stover mulch. The treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. Regardless of planting methods, there were 77.1% and 99.6% advantage of grain and stover yield respectively due to tied-ridging over the control. Furthermore, sorghum planted in furrows and on top of ridges increased grain yield in the order of 98.3% and 41.6% and stover yield by 114.2% and 57.8% respectively over flat planting method. A grain yield increase in order of 14.5% and 25.9% and stover yield increase in order of 31.8% and 33.9% was obtained by applying 3 and 6 t/ha of mulch over the bare plot treatment respectively. In case of soil water content dynamics, the highest volumetric soil water content (VSWC) was obtained from the tied-ridges followed by open ridges over the flat tillage. VSWC was significantly greater under furrow planting and the lowest was observed in flat planting method. Like wise, soil surface covered with 3 and 6 t/ha mulch levels gave higher VSWC respectively over the no-mulch treatment.

Keywords: mulching, planting method, tied-ridges, sorghum.

Full text

Response of Sorghum Yield to Mulching and Planting Methods on Dry Land Areas of Tigray, Ethiopia