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Reduced tillage (RT) systems have been promoted for crop production intensification in low potential areas through enhancement of fertiliser response of degraded soils and drought mitigation. A 3 year study was conducted from 2015/2016 to 2017/2018 growing seasons in sub-humid (650–1000 mm rainfall year⁻¹) Zimbabwe to determine nitrogen (N) uptake and maize yield response to nitrogen fertilisation rate (0, 30, 60, 90 120 150, 180 k gha⁻¹) under RT and conventional tillage (CT). The experimental design was a split plot, with the two tillage systems as main plot and seven N rates as the sub-plot treatments. Four sites were established in smallholder farmer fields with clayey soils (160–400 g clay kg⁻¹; Chromic Luvisols and Rhodic Ferralsols) and sandy soils (40–100 g clay kg⁻¹; Eutric Regosols). Results show that the study sites had rainfall deficits of 4–47% in the first and third growing seasons …