Energy use efficiency of deficit-irrigated silage maize in different soil tillage practices on a high plain with a semi-arid climate

Energy requirement increases rapidly in agriculture due to the increase in mechanization. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the energy use efficiency of silage maize under three different tillage practices (conventional, reduced, no-tillage) combined with four different irrigation levels (full and three deficit irrigations). The no-tillage and reduced tillage practices provided savings in input energy at the rate of 17.4 and 9.1%, respectively compared to the conventional tillage. The highest silage yields in all irrigation levels were obtained in the no-tillage practice. Therefore, in full and deficit irrigated silage maize, the highest energy ratio, energy productivity and net energy and the lowest specific energy values were manifested in the no-tillage practice. Energy rates in the no-tillage practice were higher by 34.2 and 22.9% than the conventional and the reduced tillage practices, respectively. Moreover, the direct and non-renewable energy requirements were the lowest in the no-tillage practice. In conclusion, the fully-irrigated no-tillage practice can be recommended to obtain the highest energy use ratio and productivity. However, no-tillage irrigated with up to 50% less water amount could be a better alternative for areas with a water shortage by improving the energy use ratio with better water and fuel savings.