Yield performance of maize (Zea mays L.) cropped under conventional tillage and no-tillage in Northern Italy

A three year field Irial was carried out 10 compare two agricultural land management sys· tems, al Cavacurta (LO, Northern Italy). Conventionallillage (C11 and No-tillage (NT) were compared cropping maize treated with three levels of nitrogen. TIle soil was a coarse·loamy over SIlndy, mixed, mesic F/uvenlic Ustochrept (Soil Taxonomy, 1992), that had been under mixed sward for two years. The CT plots were ploughed to 30 cm, and then harrowed twice wilh a rotating harrow. The NT plots were treated with Glyphosate prior to sowing the maize on the residue of the previous crop. Experimental design was a split·p lot with four replicates, w ith the management system as the main factor and the nitrogen fertilization (0, 220 and 270 kg N ha·' year') as the secondary factor. NT could easily be used in the Po valley. After a transition period, in which ni trogen fertil ization needed to be increased (30 kg N ha·'), grain and tolal biomass yields of NT maize plants are equal 10 or higher than those obtained under a CT system.