Effects of tillage and residue management on yield components and yield of maize in second cropping after barley

The rapidly increasing population and request for feed in the world had led to increase soil cultivation, so appropriate management of residues and soil tillage is necessary for enhancing site productivity in corn plantation in rotation with barley in Isfahan. In order to determine the effects of tillage and residue management on yield, protein and nitrate of maize (cv. SC 704) in second cropping after barley in climatic condition of Isfahan, an experiment was conducted in 2009. Completely randomized block design with three replications was used. The main plots were different kinds of tillage system, namely, disk harrow, tooth harrow and moldboard, and sub-plots consisted of 100% burning of barely residues, 50% burning of barley residues, 100% residue retention and 50% residue retention. Tillage just had significant effect on germination percentage, but residue management had significant influence on germination percentage, plant height, LAI, nitrate of maize and total protein of plant. All traits had not been significantly influenced by interaction between tillage and residue management. The highest germination percentage, plant height, stem diameter, LAI, fresh forage yield and appropriate total protein content of corn were related to tooth harrow system, and also 50% residue retention had obtained the maximum germination percentage, plant height, LAI, fresh forage yield and total protein of plant. Using tooth harrow followed by residue retention in maize cropping after barley was recommended to farmers in climatic condition of Isfahan.