Growth Analysis of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in Response to Fertilization and Soil Tillage

• Published in: Notulae botanicae Horti agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca 2019, Vol.47 (4), p.1025-1036
• Main Authors: KAKABOUKI, Ioanna, ROUSSIS, Ioannis E., PAPASTYLIANOU, Panagiota, KANATAS, Panagiotis, HELA, Dimitra, KATSENIOS, Nikolaos, FUENTES, Francisco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Crop growth; Crop yield; Crops; Cultivation; Fertilization; Growth rate; Growth stage; Leaf area; Leaf area index; Leaves; Manures; Nitrogen; Quinoa; Sheep; Sheep manure; Soil analysis; Soil fertility; Soils; Tillage
• ISSN: 0255-965X; 1842-4309
• DOI: 10.15835/nbha47411657

Growth analysis is an appropriate method for plant response to various environmental and cultural conditions during plant life. A 2-year experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of soil tillage and fertilization on the growth and growth parameters of quinoa crop and to determine the association between yield and growth characteristics at both the single plant and crop stand level. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with two replicates, two main plots [conventional (CT) and minimum tillage (MT)] and four sub-plots [fertilization treatments: untreated, inorganic fertilization of 100 (N1) and 200 kg N ha-1 (N2) and sheep manure]. The highest absolute growth rate (AGR) and crop growth rate (CGR) values were recorded between the middle of vegetative growth stage and the beginning of anthesis (50-75 DAS) under conventional tillage coupled with manure (AGR: 0.4577 g day-1, CGR: 11.44 g m-2 day-1) and with N2 treatment (AGR: 0.4521 g day-1, CGR: 11.31 g m-2 day-1). Concerning specific leaf area (SLA), the highest value (150.58 cm2 g-1) was found at 75 DAS in N2 treatment. Leaf area index (LAI) were positively affected by soil tillage and fertilization with greatest values found under conventional tillage coupled with N2 treatment (5.110 m2 m-2). The highest seed yield was observed in N2 treatment (2488 and 2388 kg ha-1 under CT and MT, respectively). As a conclusion, the cultivation under conventional tillage and the increasing levels of applied nitrogen up to 200 kg N ha-1 increases crop growth and yield.   *** In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 4, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. ***