Performance of Some Tillage Implements and Their Influence on Yield of Rain-Fed Sorghum under Sandy Loam Soil Conditions

In Sudan, sorghum productivity in the traditional rain-fed sector is very low. One of the major reasons contributing to low yield is unreliable rainfall. So, selecting an appropriate tillage implements that conserves soil moisture and achieves better performance is highly needed. A field experiment was conducted at the demonstration farm of the faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental studies, Alsalam University, to evaluate the performance of some tillage implements and their effects on the yield of rain-fed sorghum. The treatments consisted of three types of tillage implements namely chisel plow, cultivator and offset disc harrow. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The performance variables measured were effective field capacity (ha/h), field efficiency (%) and wheel slippage (%).The results of analysis showed the cultivator increased significantly the effective field capacity and field efficiency in comparison with the offset disc harrow and the chisel plow. The chisel plow and the cultivator were showed a significant increase in slippage percentage compared to the offset disc harrow. However, the tested tillage implements did not have a significant effect on the yield of sorghum