Impacts of technology and the width of rows on water infiltration and soil loss in the early development of maize on sloping lands

Abstract

Soil erosion by water has become an issue in the cultivation of maize (Zea mays L.) on sloping lands in recent years. The following three technologies of tillage have been assessed: disc cultivator, strip-till and no-till (raw land). Seeding machine Kinze 3500 was used for sowing maize cultivar Silvinio FAO 210. The experiments were conducted within the years 2013, 2014 and 2016. Erosion was evaluated under simulated rain in three stages of maize growth. The following parameters of each tested tillage treatment were measured: water infiltration (mm), soil loss (converted to t/ha), dry matter yield of the aboveground biomass and grain yield. The results confirmed that no-till technology reduced water erosion to the value of 0.40 t/ha. This technology along with the row spacing of 0.75 m tended to bring higher yields of aboveground biomass (13.40 t/ha). Tillage and phacelia as a catch crop increased water infiltration in the soil.