The effects of alternate furrow irrigation of Quinoa yield and water productivity at its different growth stages

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild) is a nutritious herb with favorable nutrition and potential for suitable production in adverse environmental conditions that can withstand drought. This study aimed was to evaluate the effects of alternate furrow irrigation at its different growth stages on Quinoa yield and water use efficiency in the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM) experimental farm research during 2018-19. This research was conducted to completely block randomized design with seven treatments and three replications. In this study, 7 treatments consisted of traditional furrow irrigation (TFI), fixed alternate furrow irrigation (FAFI), variable alternate furrow irrigation (VAFI), fixed alternate furrow irrigation at the vegetative stage and traditional furrow irrigation at other stages (FTT), fixed alternate furrow irrigation at the vegetative and flowering stages and traditional furrow irrigation at other stages (FFT), variable alternate furrow irrigation at the vegetative stage and traditional furrow irrigation at other stages (VTT), variable alternate furrow irrigation at the vegetative and flowering stages and traditional furrow irrigation at other stages (VVT) treatment with supplemental irrigation in time of planting. The results showed that the effect of treatments on panicle length, stem diameter, plant height, panicle weights, grain yield, yield per m2, and water productivity were highly significant (P>0.01) and panicle width was significant at the 5 % levels. Results showed that the highest yield (2.17 ton/ha), grain yield (18.1 g per plant), average plant height (113.3 cm), and physical water productivity (0.41 Kg/m3) were in TFI treatments. Used FAFI, FTT, FFT, VAFI, VTT, and VVT treatments compared to TFI, grain yield decreased by 35.4, 24.3, 32.0, 23.2, 13.8, and 17.7 percent, respectively. Used FAFI, FTT, and FFT treatments compared to TFI, physical water productivity decreased by 19.5, 14.6, and 2.4 percent, respectively. Used VAFI, VTT, and VVT treatments compared to TFI, physical water productivity increased by 2.4, 14.6, and 24.4 percent, respectively. Therefore, the best irrigation treatment for the Quinoa in the field conditions is VTT methods.