The effect of different irrigation water amounts and nutrient solution applications on the yield, some yield components and water use efficiency of quinoa (chenopodium quinoa willd.)

Abstract

Water and plant nutrients are indispensable factors of agricultural production. In this study, the effects of different irrigation water levels and concentrations of Hoagland nutrient solution applied to quinoa plant on the vegetative growth, yield and some yield components of the plant were investigated. The study was conducted at the Research and Application Greenhouses of Agricultural Faculty, Bursa Uludag University. The experiment was arranged as a randomized split-plot design with 5 irrigation water levels (50, 75, 100, 125 and 150%) of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) as the main plot factors and the concentrations of the standard Hoagland (H) nutrient solution (0.50H, 1.00H and 2.00H) as the subplot factor with four replications. Irrigation water was applied 306 mm with 919 mm to the experimental pots during the growing season. Seasonal ET values ranged from 306 mm to 741 mm. As the irrigation water level increased, the grain yield increased and the highest grain yield (334 kg da(-1)) was obtained from 150% ETc irrigation level and 2.00H nutrient solution concentration. Biomass yield and other yield components were significantly affected by varying levels of irrigation levels and / or nutrient solution concentrations.