The researchers studied how different ways of preparing the soil and managing weeds affect the growth and yield of maize and sunflower crops. They tested three tillage methods and five weed management methods in their experiments. They found that using a combination of herbicides and hand weeding at the right times led to the highest plant growth and nutrient uptake, resulting in the best crop yield. Conventional tillage was also found to be better for the maize-sunflower cropping system compared to minimum or zero tillage methods.