Influence of different soil tillage systems on fuel consumption, labour requirement and yield in maize and winter wheat production.

An experiment with five different tillage systems and their influence on fuel consumption, labour requirement and yield of tested crops was carried out on Albic Luvisol in northwest Slavonia in the period of 1996.-2000. The compared tillage systems were: 1. conventional tillage system (CT), 2. reduced tillage system (RT), 3. conservation tillage system I (CP), 4. conservation tillage system II (CM), 5. no-tillage system (NT). The crop rotation was maize (Zea mays L.) - winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) – maize – winter wheat. Comparing the fuel consumption to CT system, RT system consumed 6.8% less, CP system 12.1% less, CM system 27.4% less, while NT system consumed even 82.7% less fuel. The labour requirement showed that RT system saved 7.6%, while CP system required 21.8% less, CM system 38.6% less labour, respectively. NT system saved 81.7% of labour in comparison to CT system. The highest yield of maize in the first experimental year was achieved under CT system and the lowest under RT system. In all others experimental years the highest yield of winter wheat and maize was achieved under CM system, while the lowest under RT system.