Influence of wheat residue management on irrigated corn grain production in a reduced tillage system

Management of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residues for corn (Zea mays L.) planting is an important issue in southern parts of Iran where these two irrigated crops are consecutively grown. Concerns have been raised in recent years over the burning of the crop residues by farmers in these areas. A 2-year (2001–2002) field experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of irrigated corn planted, after burning wheat residues followed by conventional tillage (CT), after residue removal followed by CT, after soil incorporation of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of residue followed by chisel plow, disk harrow, and row crop planter equipped with row cleaner. The CT operations consisted of mollboard plowing followed by two times disk harrowing. Treatments had significant effects on corn grain yield, biological yield, and leaf area index. The highest grain yield (15.73 t ha−1) and grains per ear (709.3) were obtained when 25–50% of wheat residues were soil incorporated and the seeds were sown with planter equipped with row cleaner in both years as compared with conventional tillage practices. It is recommended that complete residue removal or burning should be avoided; hence for successful corn production after wheat, residue management techniques that reduce residue level in the row area should be implemented.