Agro Climatic Zoning to Quinoa Culture in Harzandat Plain of Marand, Iran, Using Analytic Hierarchy Process

The continuation of the drought in East Azerbaijan requires that the water consumption in the agricultural sector be reduced by modifying the cultivation pattern and replacing the current crops with crops with low water requirements. The aim of this research was to investigate the feasibility of quinoa cultivation in Harzandat Marand plain by considering the agro-ecological needs of this product using the hierarchical analysis method.

This experimental field research was conducted in the crop year of 2021-2022 in the Zarandat plain of Marand. The characteristics of the soils of the region were collected from the soil studies report of Harzandat Marand Plain. In order to prepare spatial distribution maps and study spatial patterns, the data of the points collected from the soil were generalized to the regional level during the interpolation process. To determine the relative weight or importance coefficient, the selected criteria were compared using AHP model and hourly quantitative table. After adding the final weight of the criteria in ArcGIS software, the final maps were prepared based on the normalized final weight with the overlay model.

About 3850 hectares (21%) of Harzandat plain lands for planting quinoa in relatively suitable class (S1), 4616 hectares (25%) of lands in Relatively suitable class (S2), 5581 hectares (30.3%) in critical suitability class (S3), 1539.5 hectares were in the unsuitable but correctable class (N1) and 2760.6 hectares were in the permanent unsuitable class (N2).

Quinoa can be cultivated in more than 40% of Harzandat Marand plain lands. These lands are scattered in different parts of the plain. Most of the suitable lands are in the west of the plain and most of the unsuitable lands are concentrated in the center of the plain.