Effects of Levels of Tillage on Destruction and Re – Emergence of Weeds of Benue River Makurdi Flood Plains
Md. K. M1, Obetta S. E2
1Mohammed K. M, Department of Agricultural and Bio Environmental Engineering, Federal Polytechnic, Bida Nigeria.
2Obetta S.E, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Makurdi Nigeria.
Manuscript received on 10 May 2014 | Revised Manuscript received on 20 May 2014 | Manuscript Published on 30 May 2014 | PP: 19-23 | Volume-3 Issue-12, May 2014 | Retrieval Number: L16320531214/14©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate effects of different levels of soil tillage on weed destruction and re – emergence during the cropping season of the year 2012. The experiment was conducted on the experimental farm of Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Makurdi. The field was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four treatments and three replications. The treatments were ploughing and harrowing once (PH), ploughing and harrowing twice (PHH), ploughing and harrowing thrice (PHHH) and no – tillage (NT). A 75 Hp four – wheel drive MF 375 E tractor, 3 – discs MF plough and 14 – discs offset MF harrow were used for the tillage operations. The parameters studied were weed destruction and re – emergence. The total rainfall within the period was 928.7 mm. Atmospheric temperatures fluctuated between 32ºC and 39ºC and the relative humidity was between 70 % and 86 %. Results showed that the soil of the experimental plot was generally dark and was predominantly sandy. Ploughing and harrowing thrice cut down the highest number of weeds and gave the best soil conditions which yielded the least number of weed re – emergence. More weeds re – emerged on no – tillage sub – plots with percentages ranging between 42.99 % and 65.11 %. The results also showed that tillage is a viable alternative to chemical weeds control.
Keywords: Effects, Destruction, Levels, Tillage, Weeds.
Scope of the Article: Agricultural Informatics