Effect of Tillage Practices and Hydrogel Applications on Yield and Yield Attributing Traits of Maize (Zea mays L.) over the Years

This study investigated the effects of different tillage practices and hydrogel applications on maize yield in sandy loam soils at the Agricultural Research Station, Karimnagar, PJTSAU, Telangana state over a period of four years (2015-2018) during the Kharif season. The experiment was designed as a split plot with four main treatments i.e., Conventional tillage (CT), Conventional tillage with residue mulching (4 t/ha), Zero tillage (ZT) and Zero tillage with residue mulching (4 t/ha). These were combined with three sub-treatments involving hydrogel application i.e., Control (no hydrogel), Hydrogel at 2.5 kg/ha and Hydrogel at 5.0 kg/ha. The study was replicated three times to ensure reliability of the results. The combination of zero tillage with residue mulching yielded the highest maize grain yield (4435 kg/ha). This suggests that this practice is more effective in retaining soil moisture, which is critical under rainfed conditions. The addition of hydrogel, regardless of the rate (2.5 kg/ha or 5.0 kg/ha), did not lead to any significant improvement in maize yield. The use of zero tillage combined with residue mulching is beneficial for maize production in sandy loam soils under rainfed conditions, primarily due to enhanced moisture retention. However, hydrogel application did not provide any additional yield benefits in this context.