Quinoa for the Brazilian Cerrado: Agronomic Characteristics of Elite Genotypes under Different Water Regimes

Abstract

Quinoa stands out as an excellent crop in the Cerrado region for cultivation in the off-season or irrigated winter season. Here, we tested the effects of different water regimes on the agronomic characteristics, physiology, and grain quality of different elite quinoa genotypes under field conditions. The experiment was conducted under field conditions at Embrapa Cerrados (Planaltina, DF, Brazil). The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in a split-plot scheme, with four replications. The plots were composed of 18 quinoa genotypes and modified BRS Piabiru (the currently used genotype), and the split-plots were divided into 4 different water regimes. The following variables were evaluated: productivity and productivity per unit of applied water (PUAA), plant height, flavonoids, anthocyanins, gas exchange, chlorophyll, leaf proline, and relative water content. Our results showed that water regimes between 309 and 389 mm can be recommended for quinoa in the Cerrado region. CPAC6 and CPAC13 presented the highest yield and PUAA under high and intermediate WRs, and hence were the most suitable for winter growth under irrigation. CPAC17 is most suitable for off-season growth under rainfed conditions, as it presented the highest PUAA under the low WRs (247 and 150). CPAC9 stood out in terms of accumulation of flavonoids and anthocyanins in all WRs. Physiological analyses revealed different responses of the genotypes to water restriction, together with symptoms of stress under lower water regimes. Our study reinforces the importance of detailed analyses of the relationship between productivity, physiology, and water use when choosing genotypes for planting and harvest in different seasons.

Incorporated Biochar-Based Soil Amendment and Exogenous Glycine Betaine Foliar Application Ameliorate Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Tolerance and Resilience to Osmotic Stress

“…Combined water stress and salt-affected soil impede plant growth and development by detrimentally damaging osmolytes such as proline content, chlorophyll pigments (chlorophyll a , b , and carotenoids), and various physiological traits, such as the photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and relative water content in rice plants due to deficient biosynthesis, as presented by Zhang et al [ 49 ]. Likewise, the effects of different water regimes on agronomic characteristics, physiology, and grain quality, as well as photosynthesis and stomatic conductance of different elite quinoa genotypes under field conditions [ 50 ]. The enhancement of the osmolytes, chlorophyll pigments, and physiological processes could be ascribed to biochar application as a soil amendment in stimulating the meristematic activity, which results in augmenting cell division and enlargement [ 51 ].…”

Morphological and Physiological Traits Associated with Yield under Reduced Irrigation in Chilean Coastal Lowland Quinoa

“…Tolerance of quinoa to abiotic stresses such drought, salinity, low soil fertility and frost has been well documented, making it a target crop for addressing future food security in the context of a climate crisis [ 13 , 19 , 20 , 31 , 65 ]. Studies have recorded significant yield deficits, especially under low soil water availability and high vapor pressure deficit, high temperatures and nitrogen deficiency [ 15 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ]. Inability to attain the full yield potential has been attributed to sink limitations, while higher yields could be obtained in quinoa if reproductive partitioning is increased [ 71 ].…”

“…In quinoa, the flowering and grain-filling stages are considered the most critical for yield determination and the most sensitive to stress, including drought and high temperatures [ 18 , 68 , 70 , 73 , 74 ]. Indeterminate grain development in a complex panicle structure coupled with uneven grain filling lies at the basis of this sensitivity [ 67 ].…”

“…Canopy temperature and vegetation indices collected using handheld, ground-based or remote sensors could distinguish irrigated from non-irrigated treatments in a study by Sankaran et al [ 38 ]. A significant relationship between water availability and canopy temperature was also detected for a selection of quinoa genotypes grown under different water regimes in the Brazilian Cerrado region [ 70 ]. We therefore included thermal infrared and hyperspectral imaging to determine whether these systems could deliver proxies for water use, photosynthetic activity or yield, or otherwise reveal differences between lines that may or may not have been observed using standard methods [ 36 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 ].…”

Production Efficiency and Total Protein Yield in Quinoa Grown under Water Stress

“…Furthermore, the protein content in this pseudocereal is higher than in most cereal grains, but less than in legume seeds [20,22], ranging between 130 and 200 g kg −1 , and being particularly rich in histidine and lysine, two essential amino acids deficient in most cereals [23]. Quinoa phenology easily adapts to overcome several adverse abiotic factors [24][25][26][27] offering a clear potential to flourish under salt-prone area and limited water resources [28,29].…”