ADAPTABILITY OF MAIZE (Zea maysL.) TO CULTIVATION ON CLOSED LANDFILL WITH REDUCED TILLAGE INPUTS

Abstract

SUMMARYCultivation of less productive soils such as closed landfills has become convenient because European subsidies covered part of the risk to obtain production. Aim of the research was to evaluate grain yields of maize hybrids belonging to different maturity classes (FAO 200, 300 and 400) (Gretzmacher, R. (1979).Die Bodenkultur30:256--280) grown on closed landfills by the adoption of two minimum tillage methods (chisel plowing at 0.35 m plus disk harrowing at 0.20 m, or only disk harrowing at 0.20 m). Maize cultivation inserted in a winter cereal rotation had a grain production ranging from 4.6 t ha−1(FAO 200, disk harrowing only) to 8.3 t ha−1(FAO class 400, chisel plowing plus disk harrowing) in the two considered years (2011 and 2012). The adoption of chisel plowing coupled with disk harrowing reduced yield fluctuation between years, and furnished higher yield performance if compared with the single disk harrowing passage. The best growing hybrid cycles were those belonging to FAO class 300 with production similar to that of the longest maturity class, and with moisture content equal to the shortest maturity class.