Effect of tire inflation pressure on soil properties and yield in a corn - Soybean rotation for three tillage systems in the Midwestern United States

A study of the effect of tire pressure and tillage systems on soil properties and crop development in a corn (Zea mays L.)/soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation was conducted in Champaign County, Illinois from November 2016 through October 2017. The treatment comprised standard and low tire pressures (standard/low tire pressures were 0.14/0.07 MPa for the tillage tractor JD 7930, 0.12/0.05 MPa for the planter tractor JD 7700, and 0.21/0.14 MPa for the combine harvester JD 9410) and three tillage systems; deep tillage (450mm), shallow tillage (100mm) and no-till. The results showed that tillage had a significant effect on soil moisture content (MC) in the soybean field (p=0.009), and the cone penetrometer resistance (PR) in both corn and soybean (p<0.001). The central non-trafficked inter-rows always had a higher soil MC (%) and lower PR values compared to other locations (p<0.001). Tire inflation pressure had a significant effect on the grain yield of corn (p=0.005) in which 4.31% higher yield (15.02 Mg ha^-1) was recorded in lower inflation pressure plots compared to standard tire pressure plots (14.40 Mg ha^-1). In soybean, the tillage system had a significant effect on the grain yield (p=0.001), where the highest grain yield (4.86 Mg ha^-1) was recorded in deep tillage being 2.74% and 4.51% higher than that of shallow tillage (4.73 Mg ha^-1) and no-till (4.65 Mg ha^-1), respectively.