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TField experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different tillage systems
on soil physical properties and yield of Corchorus olitorius on a sandy clay loam soil of Akure,
Nigeria. Soil physical properties such as bulk density, porosity and hydraulic conductivity were
determined and the yield of Corchorus olitorius evaluated. The experimental field was divided into
four tillage treatment plots, which were replicated four times following a completely randomized
design. The tillage treatments were: NT (no tillage), PT (plough tillage), PH (plough and harrow
tillage) and CS (compacted soil). Treatment plot NT was left undisturbed, PT was tilled by ploughing
alone, PH was tilled by ploughing and harrowing and CS was compacted by heavy machinery
passes. Each treatment plot has an area of 5 m by 5 m. PT plot had the lowest bulk density value
(1.46±0.52) g/cm3 compared to other treatments; NT (1.73±0.32) g/cm3, PH (1.70±0.06) g/cm3 and
CS (1.72±0.01) g/cm3 where higher bulk density values were recorded at 10 - 20 cm soil layer.
Significant differences were observed among the crop parameters under the different tillage
treatments. At the 11 weeks after planting, NT plot produced the highest crop yield values: leaf
area 53.20(±2.85) cm2, plant height (58.68±17.52) cm, stem girth (3.08±0.68) cm, root depth
(11.63±2.15) cm and root density (61.00±7.57) followed by PT plot, while PH and CS plots produced
the lowest values of; leaf area (14.81±0.75) cm2, plant height (16.80±0.75) cm, stem girth (1.58±0.27)
cm and root depth (6.40±0.29) cm. Therefore, NT and PT plots with minimum soil disturbance
produced the highest crop yield, while PH and CS plots had the lowest yield parameters for Corchorus
olitorius as influenced by the different tillage characteristics.
Keywords: Corchorus olitorius; Tillage; Bulk density; Hydraulic conductivity; Yield