Effect of irrigation quantities and tillage systems on sunflower yield under Khartoum State conditions, Sudan

The objective of this study was to investigate the response of sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) yield to different irrigation quantities and tillage systems. The experimental work was conducted at the Demonstration Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Shambat during two different seasons 2011/012 and 2012/013. The treatments were three irrigation quantities (100%, 85% and 70% of crop evapotranspiration) and four tillage systems (no till, discing, chiseling and ridging). Split plot experimental design with three replications was used in which the irrigation water amounts were assigned to the main plotsand the different tillage systems to the subplots.The parameters tested were soil physical properties, the vegetative growth and yield.The results indicated that,tillage systems affected clearly soil physical properties; namely bulk density and moisture content. Deep ploughing system decreased the bulk density as compared to no till system. The vegetative growth was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by the different irrigation water amounts and tillage systems. Irrigation water amounts of 100% and 85% of ETc gave the higher values than 70% ETc in both seasons. The combination of irrigation water amounts with tillage systems significantly affected the yield. However the combination of no till with 85% ETc gave the highest yield (2.3 ton/fed) in the first season while chiseling with 85% ETc had the highest yield (1.14 ton/fed) in the second season