Response of quinoa genotypes to sowing dates and sowing methods under agroclimatic condition of Dera Ismail Khan, KP Pakistan

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted at Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Pakistan, during 2018–2020 to explore the optimum sowing date, the most productive quinoa genotype, and appropriate sowing method. Sowing dates were 15 October, 30 October, 14 November and 29 November. Two sowing methods (ridge vs. flat sowing) and three farmer varieties (RBDC-I, RBDC-II and RBDC-III) and one approved quinoa line (Q7) were tested in a split split-plot design replicated thrice. Results revealed that quinoa sown on 14 November produced significantly higher panicle length (19.2 cm), 1000-grains weight (2.9 g) and grain yield (2063 kg ha⁻¹) compared with other sowing dates. G × SM interaction revealed that RBDC-II sown on ridge produced higher main panicle length (25.4 cm), 1000-grains weight (3.3 g) and grain yield (3171 kg ha⁻¹) compared with other G × SM interaction. Ridge sowing had a higher harvest index (44.5%) than flat-line sowing (35.4%). The results suggested that RBDC-II was the most productive quinoa genotype, which produced 69%, 36% and 77% higher yield over RBDC-I, RBDC-III and Q7, respectively. Sowing on 14 November produced 5–11% and 37.5% more yield compared with earlier and later sown quinoa, respectively. Moreover, ridge sowing was superior to flat sowing by producing 50% more yield.

KEYWORDS:

• Chenopodium quinoa
• ridge sowing
• flat line sowing
• sowing time
• quinoa

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).