Preliminary Studies of the Performance of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Genotypes under Irrigated and Rainfed Conditions of Central Malawi

Abstract

The goal of sustainable intensification of agriculture in Malawi has led to the evaluation of innovative, regionally novel or under-utilized crop species. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) has the potential to provide a drought tolerant, nutritious alternative to maize. We evaluated 11 diverse varieties of quinoa for their yield and agronomic performance at two locations, Bunda and Bembeke, in Malawi. The varieties originated from Ecuador, Chile and Bolivia in South America; the United States and Canada in North America; and, Denmark in Europe, and were chosen based on their variation in morphological and agronomic traits, and their potential for adaptation to the climate of Malawi. Plant height, panicle length, days to maturity, harvest index, and seed yield were recorded for each variety under irrigation at Bunda and Bembeke, and under rainfed conditions at Bunda. Plant height was significantly influenced by both genotype and environment. There were also significant differences between the two locations for panicle length whereas genotype and genotype × environment (G × E) interaction were not significantly different. Differences were found for genotype and G × E interaction for harvest index. Notably, differences for genotype, environment and G × E were found for grain yield. Seed yield was higher at Bunda (237–3019 kg/ha) than Bembeke (62–692 kg/ha) under irrigated conditions. The highest yielding genotype at Bunda was Titicaca (3019 kg/ha) whereas Multi-Hued was the highest (692 kg/ha) at Bembeke. Strong positive correlations between seed yield and (1) plant height (r = 0.74), (2) days to maturity (r = 0.76), and (3) biomass (r = 0.87) were found under irrigated conditions. The rainfed evaluations at Bunda revealed significant differences in seed yield, plant biomass, and seed size among the genotypes. The highest yielding genotype was Black Seeded (2050 kg/ha) followed by Multi-Hued (1603 kg/ha) and Bio-Bio (1446 kg/ha). Ecuadorian (257 kg/ha) was the lowest yielding genotype. In general the seed yields of the genotypes were lower under rainfed conditions than under irrigated conditions at Bunda. The results also highlight the need to continue evaluating a diverse number of cultivars to select for genotypes adapted to specific agro-ecological areas and across seasons in Malawi.

Multi-Environmental Evaluation for Grain Yield and Its Components of Quinoa Genotypes Across the North Western Coast of Egypt

“…Moreover, lower temperature in these two planting dates negatively affected the growth and yield of quinoa. These results are in agreement with those obtained by Maliro et al (2017).…”

Effect of high temperature on pollen morphology, plant growth and seed yield in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

“…Those results are similar to our results, even though the temperature regime used in their study is not as high compared with the temperatures we used (40/24°C). In Bunda, Malawi, with an average temperature of 20°C, plant height in different quinoa genotypes was higher compared to plants grown in Bembeke, Malawi, where the average temperature is 15°C (Maliro, Guwela, Nyaika, & Murphy, ).…”

Quinoa: In Perspective of Global Challenges

“…Surprisingly, Gomez-Pando et al [45] highlighted increased plant height, leaf dry mass, and yield in response to salinity. Additionally, Maliro et al [73] found strong positive correlations between yield and plant height, maturity time, and biomass with irrigated system while significant differences in yield, plant biomass, and seed size among the genotypes under a rainfed system. Moreover, under irrigated conditions, seed yield was greater at Bunda (237-3019 kg/ha) than Bembeke (62-692 kg/ha).…”