Evaluation of Irrigation Management Effect on Physiological Properties of Quinoa (C.V. Giza-1)

In Iran, the consumption grain of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) due to its nutritional properties has increased. Due to the Quinoa's ability to grow under adverse conditions (such as drought), the total cultivation areas for this plant have increased. Climate change scenarios predict extended periods of drought and this has emphasized the need for new crops that are tolerant to these conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of irrigation management on physiological properties of quinoa Gize-1 cultivar under greenhouse condition. The experiment was done using pot planting based on a completely randomized design including 3 replications at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM) during 2018-2019. Treatments included four irrigation managements, i.e., full irrigation (FI), alternate partial root-zone drying (APRD), fixed partial root-zone drying (FPRD), and deficit irrigation (DI). Results showed that DI, FPRD, and APRD significantly decreased stomatal conductance (40.9, 33.3, and 20.7%, respectively) when compared to FI treatment. Similarly, the greenness index (28.3, 26.3, and 15.3%, respectively) and relative water content (RWC) (20.4, 21.1, and 12.8%, respectively) were reduced under DI, FPRD, and APRD irrigations management compared to FI. Conversely, proline content was increased under DI, FPRD, and APRD treatments (24.2, 30.5, and 17.9%, respectively) when compared to FI. Generally, APRD treatment recommended for the quinoa Giza-1 cultivar to produce an acceptable yield under greenhouse conditions.