Wheat is one of the most important food crops in Iran and making efforts for yield increasing is very essential .Since TILLAGE METHODS have major effects on agricultural productivity thus in this study, effect of different TILLAGE METHODS on wheat yield were evaluated in silt clay loam (Typic Calcixeroll) during 3 successive years begun in 2000. A Randomized Complete Block Design with six TILLAGE METHODS were used to evaluate wheat yield in irrigated and non-irrigated practices.Treatments were included T1) subsoiling + moldboard plowing + disking T2) subsoiling + disking T3) moldboard plowing + disking T4) chisel plowing + disking T5) disking T6) no TILLAGE. Results showed that TILLAGE METHODS had no significant difference in increasing or decreasing bulk density during plant growth stages and %21 soil moisture content has been caused to pulverize almost %60 soil clods with less than 25 mm diameter .Median weighted diameters of the clods (MWD) for T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 were obtained 29, 34, 31, 34, 28 mm respectively. TILLAGE METHODS had significant difference on the wheat yield and average of wheat yield for treatments T1 until T6 were 3041, 2581, 2750, 2123, 1940, 1745 kg/ha in irrigated and 2238, 2234, 2258, 2338, 2547, 1509 kg/ha in non-irrigated practices respectively. Also results indicated that deep TILLAGE with subsoiling before plowing (T1) and irrigation during plant growth stages increased wheat yield about 300 kg/ha rather than conventional METHODS (T3) and minimum TILLAGE with disking (T5) had the highest yield in non-irrigated wheat condition.

In order to investigate the effect of different TILLAGE METHODS on agronomic criteria of two popular varieties of six row - winter barley (Valfajr, Karoon Darkavir); in Kerman, an experiment was conducted during growing seasons of 137B - 79 and 1379 – 80 The experiment was on the basis of split plot design with 4 replications. Treatments were combination of two barley varieties and three levels of TILLAGE METHODS (a: conventional TILLAGE, b: conservative or minimum TILLAGE, and c: no TILLAGE). The results illustrated that yield of Karoon dar kavir was significantly higher than Valfajr yield in 3 TILLAGE METHODS. Valfajr yield was higher in conservative TILLAGE; and TILLAGE METHODS had no effect on Karoon darkavir yield. Number of fertile tillers /m2 was higher in 3 TILLAGE METHODS, especially in no TILLAGE. Number of seed / spike and 1000 seed weight were not significantly affected by TILLAGE METHODS; but interaction effects of TILLAGE METHODS and varieties on these two different variables were significant. Different TILLAGE did not change harvest index and seed protein content in both varieties. The result indicated that Karoon darkavir could lead to higher yield, compare to Valfajr in Kerman; but both varieties are suitable for conservation and no TILLAGE METHODS than conventional.

Every year the degradation of agricultural soils are increasing due to improper TILLAGE operations. The main objective of this study was evaluation and comparison of shallow and conventional TILLAGE METHODS and their effects on wheat yield and its components. The study was conducted in three consecutive years with two treatments and four replications in Khosroshahr, Iran. Treatments were 1. conventional TILLAGE method comprised of: moldboard plowing at the depth of 20-25 cm, disk harrowing at the depth of 12 –15 cm, leveling, following by chemical fertilizer and planting with grain drill, and 2. Shallow TILLAGE method was included: disk harrowing in the depth of 6-8 cm after removing residue, disk harrowing in the depth of 12 –15 cm in fall, spike tooth harrowing, following by chemical fertilizer and planting with grain drill. The combined analysis of data indicated that there was no significant difference between conventional and surface TILLAGE METHODS in grain yield, number of heads in unit area, number of grain in the head, 1000 kernel weight, weight of straw and harvesting index. The average wheat yield by conventional TILLAGE was 79 kg more than that of by shallow TILLAGE. This difference might be due to higher plowing depth and better residual burying with mold board plow. The grain yield in surface TILLAGE was 97.5% of the yield in conventional TILLAGE. Conventional TILLAGE consumes more energy compared to shallow TILLAGE, takes more time, causes more depreciation of the implements and therefore increases costs. Considering short available time for cultivation, and also no significant differences in the yield by the two TILLAGE METHODS, the shallow TILLAGE can be recommended in irrigated wheat farms.

Applying a suitable TILLAGE method is vital to chickpea production in dryland conditions. Hence, eight TILLAGE METHODS were studied using strip plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications over three years at the Dryland Agricultural Research Institute in Maragheh, Iran. The amounts of rainfall in the three years of the study were 202, 264 and 203 mm, respectively, which was much lower than the long-term average rainfall of 350 mm. The main plots included two primary TILLAGE in autumn (moldboard and chisel plow) and subplots comprised four secondary METHODS before sowing (disk harrow, leveler, rotary hoe and conventional broadcasting + disk harrow). The characteristics studied were planting depth, distance of the first pod from the ground, number of branches, pods and seeds per plant, plant height, hundred kernel weight and grain yield, as well as weed weight at two stages. The results of the combined analysis showed that primary TILLAGE had a significant effect on the number of pods and seeds per plant and grain yield. The chisel plow, with 436 kg/ha on average, was better than the moldboard plough. Secondary TILLAGE had a significant effect on the number of branches, pods and seeds per plant, grain yield and weed weight in the first stage. The rotary hoe had the maximum grain yield (431 kg/ha on average), however, the difference was not significant compared with the disk harrow. It can be concluded that the application of the chisel plough + rotary hoe or disk harrow can increase crop yield more than the conventional method in chickpea production.

The so-called reduced TILLAGE is one the most important management practices for soil and water conservation. In order to study the effect of reduced TILLAGE on energy productivity and wheat yield in Kalpoush region of Shahrood, a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) experiment with sunflower-wheat rotation was conducted having five treatments and four replicates. The treatments were consisted of chisel plowing at spring + disking (T1), moldboard plowing +disking (T2), reduced TILLAGE with disk harrow (T3), disk plowing + disking (T4) and chisel plowing at autumn +disking (T5). Sunflower was planted at May 2008 and 2011. After harvesting at October 2008 and 2011, all plots were disked. Wheat was planted at November 2008 and 2011 and harvested at July 2009 and 2012. The results showed that there was no significant difference among the treatments (P<5%). In 2009 the maximum (1708 kg/ha) and minimum (1412 kg/ha) crop yield were belonged to T5 and T3 treatments, respectively. In 2011, the maximum (1638 kg/ha) and minimum (1388 kg/ha) yield was obtained from T5 and T2 treatments, respectively. Further data analysis showed that soil water content and wheat yield differences are not significant among the treatments (P<5%). The maximum and minimum soil moisture and wheat yield related to chisel and moldboard ploughs, respectively. Maximum and minimum energy productivity was related to disk harrow and moldboard ploughs, respectively. Chisel plugging increased the wheat yield. Soil inversion index difference was significant among the treatments (P<1%). Maximum and minimum soil inversion index related to moldboard and chisel ploughs, respectively. Considering disk harrow advantages and results of this experiment, for wheat production it may be recommended that plowing can be replaced by disk harrow, disk harrowing for seedbed preparation is sufficient, and plowing isn’t required.

To investigate the effect of TILLAGE METHODS on weed population dynamics in three wheat cultivars, an experiment was conducted in 2014 in Khan khamis, Dashte Siakh Fars province. Experimental design was split plot in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. TILLAGE METHODS including conventional TILLAGE (plowing, disc), reduced TILLAGE (plowing apparatus combined) and no TILLAGE (direct seeding using a seed drill) as main plots and three cultivars include Pishtaz, chamran and Shirudi cultivars as sub plots. The results showed that the effect of TILLAGE systems and the interaction between TILLAGE systems and weed density, on weeds population of narrow and wide leaves variety in various stages of wheat were significant. While the effect of cultivar on density of narrow leaf weeds in all stages of growth and broadleaf weeds in tillering stage were not significant. The effect of TILLAGE systems on weed broad and narrow leaf dry weight was significant. In general, the highest dry weight of weeds were broadleaf weeds without TILLAGE systems.

This study was conducted at Darab Agricultural Research Station in wheat-cotton rotation for four years. A complete block experimental design with three treatments (no-till, reduced TILLAGE, and conventional TILLAGE METHODS) and four replications were used. TILLAGE METHODS were compared economically. The most beneficial treatment was selected based on estimating the costs and incomes of different treatments and using the net present value method of gross margin changes. Analytical hierarchy analysis (AHP) method was also used to select the most appropriate TILLAGE method. Results showed that there was no significant difference between TILLAGE METHODS for wheat and cotton yield during most of the years that this investigation was in processing. Reduced TILLAGE and no-till METHODS decreased wheat and cotton production costs, compared to conventional TILLAGE, for 5 and 10% respectively. These conservation TILLAGE METHODS, compared to the conventional TILLAGE, also reduced fuel consumption for 60 and 77%, respectively. Conservation TILLAGE METHODS increased effective field capacity of seed bed preparation and planting operations, so that time required for seed bed preparation and planting operations decreased in reduced TILLAGE and no-till, compared to the conventional TILLAGE, for 62 and 74%, respectively. Conventional TILLAGE had maximum present value of gross margin (53662 thousands Rials) compared to reduced TILLAGE (46379 thousands Rials) and no-till (38149 thousands Rials). Considering different factors in decision making, parameters such as crop yield (0. 312), production costs (0. 221), and water consumption (0. 219) had the highest weight in farmers’ decision for selecting TILLAGE method, and the conservation TILLAGE METHODS received the highest priority for selection.

Performance of proper deep TILLAGE can reduce negative effects of soil compaction. The objectives of the research were to determine the effects of deep TILLAGE application on soil physical properties and wheat yield. Therefore, in 2006-2007 an experiment was conducted at Tajarak Agricultural Research Station of Hamedan on a soil with clay loam texture. In this research, four TILLAGE METHODS were used. These METHODS were: 1) subsoiling with 30cm soil depth + conventional TILLAGE (moldboard plowing) 2) subsoiling with 50cm soil depth + conventional TILLAGE, 3) plowing by combined plow (chisel plow + roller) with 30cm soil depth and 4) conventional TILLAGE (plowing by moldboard plow to 25-30cm soil depth). Randomized complete block design with four treatments and replications was used to analyze data and compare the treatment means. Before and after the application of the TILLAGE treatments, parameters of cone index, bulk density and infiltration rate were measured in soil. Also before yield harvesting, components of yield (grain number in panicle, panicle number in plant and 1000 grain weight) were measured. To measure grain yield in experimental plots, in each plot ten square meter area from the yield was harvested. Result indicated that effect of different TILLAGE treatment on soil resistance was not significant. Effect of deep TILLAGE METHODS on bulk density and infiltration rate was significant. Deep TILLAGE METHODS increased water infiltration rate in the soil and decreased soil bulk density. Effect of different deep TILLAGE METHODS on wheat yield was not significant. However, application of chisel plow increased the wheat yield by 25%. It may be concluded the subsoiling treatment does not affect the crop yield in intensive and fully irrigated field condition. The results of this study indicated that if there is a compacted layer at 30cm soil depth, and with the same climate and soil as those in the experimental site, the application of chisel plow due to economical consideration (low fuel consumption and high field efficiency) can be recommended for soil preparation and cultivation of irrigated wheat.

Seed bed preparation is the first important step in planting each crop. This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of three different TILLAGE METHODS (T1: moldboard plow, T2: subsoiler, T3: subsoiler with decompactor) at two depths on some physical propertiesof a soil classified asfine mixedthermic typic Haploxereptswith silty clay texture. A factorial experiment in a completely randomized block design and three replications was performed at Sari Dashtenaz Research Farm in 2011. Results showed that the lowest bulk density was observed when subsoiler was used and the maximum was related to the moldboard plow. Interaction of soil depth and TILLAGE method had significant effect on porosity. As to soil water retention capacity, there were significant differences among treatments such that the subsoiler and decompactor had the maximum amount of soil water retention capacity. With regard to field capacity and permanent wilting point, there were significant differences between treatments and the highest effect was related to the subsoiler and decompactor, which were almost equal to moldboard plow. In addition, the plot where subsoiler and decompactor were used had the highest amount of available water for plants. With respect to the aggregate stability, it was observed that there were significant differences between treatments: the use of moldboard plow had the highest stable aggregate and the lowest was related to sub-soiling with decompactor.Sub-soiling and sub-soiling with decompactors treatments compared to moldboard plow reduced cone index. In addition, results showed that sub-soiling increased the infiltration rate of water into the soil.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TILLAGE METHODS to obtain suitable seedbed for monogerm seed. Therefore, a split plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicatians was conducted at Darab station of Fars province. The main plot was seedbed prepration at two levels including fall and spring season. Subplot included 1) Moldboard plow at depth of 30-35 cm + Disk; 2) Moldboard plow at depth of 30-35 cm+Rototiller; 3) Chisel plow at depth of 30-35 cm+Disk; 4) Chisel plow at depth of 30-35 cm+Rototiller; 5) Subsoiler at depth of 30-35 cm + Moldboard plow at depth of 25-30 cm+Disk; 6) Subsoiler at depth 30-35 cm+Moldboard plow at depth of 25-30 cm+Rototiller. Parameters such as soil bulk density, soil cone index, percentage of germination, germination rate index, and yield and quality were measured. The results indicated that the effect of using TILLAGE implement in fall season on bulk density and cone index was significantly different from that of spring season. Percentage of germination, germination rate index and yield increased by using the TILLAGE implements in fall compared with spring season. Results indicated that three factors including application time, TILLAGE implements and depth can be effective on the measured parameters. Moldboard plow at depth of 30-35 cm in fall season along with rototiller produced higher percentage of germination (94.42%), germination rate index(4.93%), purity (82.68%), root yield (81.81 tha-1) and while sugar beet.