Author : Medina, Geromina B.

Summary : The study consisted of a field and a pot experiment. Its aimed to: 1) determine the stimulatory or inhibitory effect of corn residues on the growth and yield of subsequent crops such as corn, soybean, and mungbean; 2) evaluate the effects of tillage on the inhibitory or stimulatory effect of corn residues to subsequent crops; 3) determine the best time to plant subsequent crops when inhibitory effects of corn residue is no longer active. The field experiment revealed that corn, soybean, or mungbean grown in a field previously planted to corn and corn residues incorporated after harvest tended to be taller than plants grown after a fallow period (control). A significant difference in corn ear length and grain yield was observed between corn planted in a field with corn residues and corn planted after fallow. Higher grain yield and longer ear length were recorded in a field previously planted to corn and with corn residues incorporated. On the other hand, mungbean grain yield from field previously cropped to corn and with corn residues applied was not significantly different from grain yield obtained from fallow fields. Results seemed to indicate that corn residues left in the field after harvest stimulated the following crops when minimum tillage or zero was employed. Results of the pot experiment suggested that decomposing corn residue in the field or a field previously planted to corn and with corn residues spread on the soil surface after harvest will either inhibit or stimulate growth of subsequent corn, soybean, or mungbean crops depending on the time of planting.