INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF TILLAGE PRACTICES AND NITROGEN LEVELS ON MAIZE GROWTH, YIELD, NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY, AND SOIL PROPERTIES

The impact of soil tillage and nitrogen (N) fertilization on maize (Zea mays L.) productivity, growth, yield, N use efficiency, and soil quality is not comprehensively or uniformly available across environments. To determine the individual and interactive effects of tillage and nitrogen application rates on the performance of maize and selected soil properties, a field experiment was conducted at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Sub-Campus Depalpur, Okara, Pakistan, during the 2023-24 growing season of maize using a split-plot design with three replications. The tillages (zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT)) and three levels of nitrogen (0% (control), 75% and 100% of the recommended dose (0, 170, and 227 kg N ha⁻¹), respectively) were set as main plots and subplots. Plant height, plant dry biomass, grain yield, 100-kernel weight, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and soil organic matter (SOM) were measured. Nitrogen level significantly influenced all six traits, with tillage significantly influencing plant height, grain yield, 100-kernel weight, and soil organic matter, but not plant dry biomass or NUE. Conventional tillage resulted in taller plants, higher dry biomass at higher nitrogen rates, and higher grain yield; zero tillage resulted in heavier kernels and higher soil organic matter.