An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of tillage practices on moisture retention and maize performance under rainfed conditions in Swaziland. The five treatments were based on structure of seedbed and seed planting method. They were ; zero tillage where jab planter was used to directly seed (JAB), tractor drawn planter to directly seed without ploughing (TDSS), tractor drawn cultivator to loosen soil followed by planting with tractor planter (TDRDS), planting basics made by using hand hoe (PLB) and conventional tillage (CNT) which was used as a control. The treatments were replicated three times. The data collected included weather data, germination counts, plant height, moisture retention, total dry matter and dry grain yield. The results displayed a significant difference in terms of moisture retention for the majority of the periods where measurements were done (p<0.05). Conventional tillage retained the least moisture while JAB retained the most moisture. In terms of seed emergence, TDRDS had the highest emergence during the first seven days compared to the other treatments. Conventional tillage had the tallest plants (268.5 cm) compared to the other treatments at 21 days after planting. Conventional tillage also had the highest total dry matter (16.2 tons/ha) and planting basins had the lowest dry matter (12.6 tons/ha). TDRDS had the highest grain yield (9.9 tons/ha), and JAB had the lowest grain yield (9.1 tons/ha). The difference in mean total dry matter and mean grain yield was not significant (p>0.05).

Dynamics of soil physical properties and maize yield were investigated in both major and minor cropping seasons under different land preparation methods and weeding frequency. A factorial design experiment was organized on a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The land preparation methods were plough + harrow (P + H) and no-tillage (NT) while weeding frequency treatments comprised 0, 1, 2 and 3-hoeing regimes. In both seasons, P + H yielded good penetration resistance and bulk density, high moisture content and total porosity, and maximum total grain yield than NT. Also, agitating the soil surface at different weeding frequency improved soil physical properties and maize yield parameters. Furthermore, lower penetration resistance and bulk density but higher moisture content and porosity were recorded on hoeing regime(s) than 0-hoeing. The interactive effect of land preparation methods versus weeding frequency on soil properties was significant except penetration resistance during minor season and total porosity during major season. Maximum total grain yield was obtained from P + H vs 2-hoeing treatment plots in both seasons. Generally, increasing weeding frequency on P + H plots enhanced soil physical properties and maize yield than NT treatment plots. Therefore, to obtain suitable seasonal soil conditions for crop production, cultivable soils should be ploughed, harrowed and hoed twice at 2nd and 5th weeks after ploughing (WAP).