A study on cotton-maize cropping systems looked at different ways of tilling the soil and planting the crops. They found that tilling the soil once before planting on raised beds gave the best results in terms of germination and crop yield. Zero tillage with flat planting had the lowest germination and yield. Overall, tilled plots had better germination and yield compared to untilled plots. So, tilling the soil before planting on raised beds seems to be the most effective way to grow cotton and maize.