El-Sanat G. M. A., M.A. Aiad, A. S. Antar, and B.A. Zamil ( 2012). Effect of tillage methods and depths on sugar beet and rice yields, salt distribution and water use efficiency in salt affected soils at North Delta. Minufiya J. Agric. Res. Vol. 37, No. 5(2):1307-1323.
Abstract: Two field experiments were conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, North Nile Delta Region during both seasons of 2010/2011& 2011 to find out the impact of three methods of tillage; disc harrow, chisel and subsoiler plough, with three depths; 15, 25 and 35 cm on sugar beet and rice yields, some soil properties and some water relations. The experimental design was split plots with four replicates, where the main plots were assigned to tillage methods and the sub plot were devoted to tillage depths. The obtained results can be summarized as follows:
•The yields of sugar beet were highly significantly affected by methods and depths of the tillage. The plowing at 35cm depth increased root yield by 17.46 and 4.61% compared to plowing at 15 and 25 cm depths, respectively. The average root yields were 15.49, 16.04 and 17.21 ton/fed. with disc harrow, chisel and subsoiler, respectively, while the root yields with tillage depths of 15, 25 and 35cm were 14.47, 16.73 and 17.54 ton/fed., respectively.
•The average sugar yield with disc harrow, chisel and subsoiler were 2.565, 2.486 and 2.598 ton/ fed., respectively, and these values were 2.212, 2.646 and 2.790 ton/ fed. with 15, 25 and 35 cm ploughing depths, respectively.
•The highest values of k, N, amino-N% and purity percentages of sugar beet juice were produced from subsoiler at 35cm depth.
• With rice, the highest significant values of yield and yield components were achieved by using the disc harrow as method of tillage with shallow depth (15cm). The interaction between tillage methods and depths had insignificant effect on such parameters.
•The highest values of water applied for sugar beet and rice crop were obtained with tillage by subsoiler at 35cm depth, while the lowest values were scored with tillage by disc harrow at 15cm depth.
•The highest value of field water use efficiency with sugar beet roots (6.12kg / m3) was obtained with tillage by disc harrow at 35cm depth, while the lowest value (5.01 kg/ m3) was recorded with subsoiling at 15 cm depth. The highest value of crop water use efficiency with sugar beet roots (9.49kg / m3) was obtained with subsoiler at 25cm depth, while the lowest value (7.54 kg / m3) was recorded with disc harrow at 15 cm depth.
. With rice, disc harrow plowing with 15 cm depth achieved the lowest value of water applied (4767 m3 /fed) and the highest value of utilization efficiency (0.63 kg grain / m3 ).While subsoiler with 35 cm depth led to the converse trend (water applied, 6178 m3 /fed and water utilization efficiency , 0.28 kg grain / m3 ) .
• The highest values of basic infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration with sugar beet and rice were achieved by subsoiler with 35 cm depth, while the lowest values were obtained with disc harrow at 15cm depth.
•It could be noticed that subsoiling led to leach more salts followed by chisel plough method especially with 35 cm tillage depth.
•It can be concluded from the economic evaluation that the highest farmer income from sugar beet was achieved with subsoiling and from rice with disc harrow.
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