Maize (Zea mays L.) ranks as one of the most vital strategic crops on a global scale, functioning as an essential source for food, livestock feed, and biofuel security. The objective of this study is to assess the residual impacts of sand and compost, as well as surface and deep tillage treatments, applied to a heavy-textured soil during the initial (winter) season. This evaluation will encompass the physical and chemical properties of the
soil, along with the growth parameters and productivity of maize cultivated therein. The experimental design employed was split-split plot design featuring three replications, which included four different rates of sand and four different rates of compost. Maize was subsequently grown in the same plots utilized in the previous
(winter) season without the reapplication of treatments in the second season. This experiment was conducted during the summer of 2024, adhering to the recommended NPK fertilization rates in accordance with standard agricultural practices pertinent to the soil region. The findings demonstrated significant enhancements in maize yield attributable to the treatments administered previously. The improvement in yield was notably more significant under deep tillage in comparison to surface tillage. Furthermore, there were substantial increases in hydraulic conductivity and soil organic matter content, which, in turn, led to enhancements in cation exchange capacity relative to their corresponding values recorded during the first season. These improvements in soil properties had a favorable impact on the productivity of maize grown in this soil. |
