Response of tillage and in situ moisture conservation on alteration of soil and morpho-physiological differences in maize under Eastern Himalayan region of India

• Growth and yield of maize were higher with ridges and furrow with paddy straw.
• Root parameters of maize were better with ridges and furrow with paddy straw mulch.
• Ridges and furrow with paddy straw improved the soil temperature and moisture.
• Zero tillage improves the soil organic carbon content at different soil depths.
• Ridges and furrow with paddy straw improves the physical properties of soils.

Better root growth helps the plant for more uptakes of nutrient and water and positively influence the growth and yield attributes. Tillage alters the physicochemical and biological properties of soil and provides the congenial condition for better growth of maize. Four different till system, viz., conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT), raised bed (RB) and ridge and furrow (RF) were tried with two mulch viz. no mulch (NM) and paddy straw mulch (PSM at 4.0 t ha−1). RF recorded 18.0% higher seed yield followed by RB (14.5%) and CT (7.5%) over ZT. However, stover yield was 10.1, 8.6 and 5.1% respectively higher for RF, RB and CT over ZT. Mulches also favoured the soil against degradative force and conserved the soil moisture and maintained the soil temperature. Grain and stover yield were 11.1 and 6.5% respectively higher with PSM over NM. Root length, root dry weight and root volume were higher on RF followed by RB over ZT. However, root numbers was higher on ZT but comparable to CT. Root density did not differ with different types of tillage. Similarly, PSM recorded all the root attributes better than NM. Maximum water holding capacity (MWHC), water filled pore space (WFPS) and water content at field capacity and permanent wilting point were higher on RF followed by RB over ZT. Similarly, bulk density of soil at different soil depths were lower in RF followed by RB. Soil temperature was maintained on PSM and it was relatively hotter at early morning (8.00 h) and relatively cooler during mid day (12.00 h) and evening (16.00 h) over NM. Soil organic carbon (SOC) changed with tillage and higher SOC was recorded on ZT at top 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil depths but below 20 cm there was no significant difference. Consequently, all the physical and chemical parameters were better with PSM over NM. The measured growth and yield attributes of maize depended on soil properties like bulk density, porosity, water potential, texture, aggregation and soil organic carbon.