Grain Yield of Wheat and Chickpea and Some Soil Properties as Affected by Different Tillage Systems Under Dryland Farming Conditions of Lorestan Province in Iran

To investigate the effect of climate and tillage system on rainfed wheat and chickpea grain yield and some soil properties in Lorestan province, an experiment was conducted as factorial arrangements in randomized complete block design with three replications. Three tillage systems included: conventional tillage, minimum tillage, and no-tillage, in three cold climates (Nurabad), warm (Kuhdasht) and temperate (Khorramabad) in Lorestan province, Iran, in 2017-18 cropping seasons. Combined analysis of variance revealed that the effect of climate and tillage systems on wheat grain yield and soil bulk density as well as climate and tillage system interaction effect on chickpea grain yield, soil volumetric moisture content, organic carbon content, and soil temperature was significant. The results showed that the highest wheat grain yield (2512.22 kg ha-1) obtained in Kuhdasht and between tillage systems in minimum tillage system (2422.78 kgha-1). The highest grain yield of chickpea obtained in Kuhdasht under the minimum tillage system (1828.8 kg ha-1). The lowest soil bulk density (1.29 g cm-3) obtained in Kuhdasht under conventional tillage system. The highest soil volumetric moisture content (22.09 %), the highest soil organic carbon (2.01 %), and the lowest soil temperature (21.7 ◦C) obtained in Khorramabad under no-tillage system. The results of this research showed that the highest grain yield obtained in the minimum tillage system, and lowest in no-tillage system for both crops. There was no significant difference between conventional tillage and no-tillage system for grain yield of wheat. Kuhdasht had the lowest soil bulk density under the conventional tillage system which was not significantly different from minimum tillage in Khorramabad. Based on the results of this research, grain yield of wheat and chickpea and soil properties were reasonable under minimum tillage system in dryland farming of Lorestan province in Iran.