Performance of Planters under Different Tillage Practices on Growth, Yield, Energy Use Efficiency, and Economics of Rabi Maize

Aim: To evaluate the performance of planters under different tillage practices on growth, yield, energy use efficiency, and economics rabi maize.
 Study Design: Split-plot.
 Place Duration Study: Maize Research Centre, ARI, Rajendranagar between November 2021 April 2022.
 Methodology: A field experiment was conducted at Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy (District) during 2021-22 to maize in sandy clay loam soils. The assigned fifteen treatments, laid out a split-plot design with three replications. Treatments included were practices,(i)M1=Conventional tillage, (ii)M2=Reduced and(iii)M3 = Zero-tillage main plots evaluated 5 viz., (i)S1=Multi-crop vacuum planter,(ii)S2 Mechanical planter,(iii)S3 =Seed-cum- fertilizer drill,(iv)S4 - Bullock drawn plow and(v)S5 Manual sowing randomly placed subplots plot.
 Results: Interaction realized significantly higher grain yield (10283 kg ha-1) when sown Multi-crop planter conventional practice compared bullock plow. However, it comparable manual as well reduced practices. Irrespective lower obtained zero-tillage practice. Overall, cost cultivation high (bullock-drawn plow/manual mechanical improved planters. Higher net returns observed multi-crop (Rs.1,43,179 ha-1).
 Conclusion: In case labor shortage, or instead like bullock-drawn can save time, labor, reduce drudgery production costs. Thus, we effectively carry important operations sowing, weeding, harvesting time without much delay through mechanization maize.