The Effects of Various Tillage Systems on Grain Yield, Quality Parameters and Energy Indices in Winter Wheat Production Under the Rainfed Conditions

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Bahri Dagdas International Agriculture Research Institute in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey over a 4-year period to evaluate the effects of tillage on grain yield, yield components, quality and energy indices of winter wheat production. The study utilized a randomized block design with three tillage systems [moldboard plough + combined cultivator and tooth harrow + combined spring tooth harrow and rotary harrow + seeding machine (CT); rotary tiller + seeding machine (RT) and no-till (NT)] in three replications. The tillage system had a significant effect on grain yield (GY), thousand kernel weight (TKW), plant height (PH), number of grains m(-2) (NG), number of grains per spike (NGS) and particle size index (PSI), but no significant effect on biomass yield (BY), harvest index (HI), number of spikes m(-2) (NS), hectoliter mass (HM), protein content (PC) and dry gluten (DG). Grain quality was affected, to a greater extent, by agro climatic conditions than by tillage system. Energy indices were significantly affected by tillage systems, with NT consuming the least energy for wheat produced (8.20 MJ/kg), and CT consuming the most (11.74 MJ/kg for CT). NT was found to be the most efficient overall tillage system in the region studied; however, conservation tillage of winter wheat can be used to increase productivity with only a minimum energy input.