Biological Response of Quinoa Plants to Various Nitrogen Levels and Priming Techniques

Abstract

| Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild) is a pseudo cereal, drought-resistant, and medicinally value able with a superior nutritional profile as compared to common cereals. It's obligatory to obtain the maximum yield of quinoa under rain-fed conditions with a well-adjusted quantity of nutrients. To evaluate nitrogen (N) levels viz 55 kg ha -1 , 65 kg ha -1 , 75 kg ha -1 , 85 kg ha -1 , and 95 kg ha -1 and seed priming techniques water soaking, K2HPO 4 , K2SO 4 , and CaSO4 (2%) seeds for half-day used to find out effects on yield of quinoa. The maximum plant height (66.133cm) and the number of branches (5.667) were with N 95 kg ha-1. Leaf area plan t-1 from 0 to N85 kg ha -1 was increased gradually but later on, decreased. Gradually the Dry matter formation increase with an increase in N level, but above 85 kg ha -1 dry matter formation was regressively declined. The highest dry matter accumulation and harvest index 66.6g plant-1 17.31% respectively were calculated with N 85 kg ha -1 . The highest crop growth rate (13.7 gm -2 day -1 ) was achieved with N 85 kg ha -1 . The highest 1000-grain weight (5.6 g) was measured with 85 kg ha -1 . The maximum grain yield (9.43g plant -1 ) was also recorded in N 85 kg ha -1 . Total biomass increased with N 85 kg ha -1 but decreased up to 85 kg ha -1 . Seed priming with K 2 SO 4 , 2% have harvest index (%), crop growth rate (g m -2 day -1 ), 1000 grain weight, and grain yield were relatively closer to the results of seeds primed with K 2 HPO 4 , 2% solution soaking of seed for 12 hours. Nitrogen 85 kg ha -1 and priming of seeds with CaSO 4 , were best for the growth and yield parameters in rain-fed agro ecological conditions.