The Influence of Tillage and Irrigation on the Maize Production

The main objective of this project is to elaborate a non-conventional tillage system for various agro-pedo-climatic areas of Romania, characterized by the reduction of drought effects and production stability, the reduction of technological inputs and increase of economic efficiency, the efficient capitalization of limited water resources, soil preservation and environmental protection. By comparison with the traditional tillage system for maize, namely plowing, the experiment is statistically backed, with the significance very significantly negative. If we relate to the vibromix tillage, the productions are statistically backed and are very significant in the version cultivated in conditions of 100% irrigation and 50% irrigation. The research has been carried out at the Valul lui Traian Station for Agricultutral Research and Development. The experiments were placed according to the method of subdivided plots, in three repetitions on the field, with tillage systems adapted to the local conditions and consisted of the following versions: the level of water supply (three graduations), deep loosening of the soil (two graduations), basic tillage (three graduations).  Maize reacted very well to tillage. Taking into account the high cost of irrigation in Dobrudja, these results support the farmers by offering solutions for the need to reduce production costs without diminishing production. The analysis of the yield obtained in maize as an effect of tillage shows that the chisel plow works are statistically very significant. Maize reacts well to vibromix tillage when the field is chisel plowed or not and/or irrigated-not irrigated, resulting in productions that are quantitatively close to those obtained by plowing, but with a capitalization rate higher than in this version. The research results showed us that a chisel plow work done every three or four years and irrigation with only 50% of the AHI can result in productions close the ones obtained by irrigation with 100% of the AHI.