THE INFLUENCE OF PRE-PLANT TREATMENTS ON SILAGE MAIZE (Zea mays L.) YIELD IN NO-TILLAGE SYSTEM

Abstract

No-tillage agricultural practices and pre-plant applications in agricultural systems have become quite common in recent years. In this study, the effect was examined of pre-plant applications on agronomic characteristics and yield in silage maize cultivation under no-tillage conditions. Plants of the forage legumes (common vetch, narbon vetch and fodder pea) and cereals (barley, triticale and annual ryegrass) were used as pre-plants materials and the values of plant height, green herbage yield, dry matter ratio, dry matter yield, leaf/stem ratio, peak tasselling time and core tasselling time were determined in silage maize. The data obtained demonstrated, that the green herbage yield and dry matter yield of maize was higher when the forage legume plants were used as pre-plants. Among the legumes, common vetch increased maize green herbage yield and dry matter yield more than other plants. On contrast, plants of the in cereals family caused a decrease in the maize yield. It was concluded that legume plants should be selected as pre-plant in no-tillage silage maize cultivation. Good results were obtained especially from common vetch, and the use of cereals as pre-plant had a negative effect on the maize for silage grown subsequently.