S. Zandi, S. Borumandnasab, M. Golabi,
Volume 28, Issue 4 (Winter 2025)
Quinoa, a nutritionally rich crop with remarkable adaptability to unfavorable environments, exhibits a high tolerance to salinity. Reusing agricultural drainage water is a natural and important method in drainage management that increases farmers' income, sustainable production, and food security. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of irrigation with agricultural drainage water, salinity stress, and water deficit on the yield and yield components of quinoa (Titicaca) under salinity levels of 2, 10, 15, and 20 dS/m and irrigation levels of full irrigation, 80%, and 60% of the crop water requirements. The experiment was conducted with three replications using a split-plot design with a randomized complete block design (RCBD) at the experimental farm of the Faculty of Water and Environmental Engineering at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, during the fall and spring seasons of the years 2022 and 2023. The water requirement of Qinoa was determined gravimetrically by measuring soil moisture before each irrigation and increasing it to field capacity. The experimental treatments were imposed after seed germination and from the start of cultivation. The plants were harvested and transported to the laboratory for drying and yield component analysis upon physiological maturity. The results revealed that salinity stress had a more pronounced impact on reducing quinoa yield and yield components compared to water stress. The highest and lowest grain yields were observed in the autumn season, reaching 5.45 and 1.8 t/ha under the treatments of S1I1 and S4I3, respectively. Similarly, in the spring season, the highest and lowest grain yields were 3.87 and 0.73 t/ha under the same treatments, respectively.
