Evaluation of the adaptability of quinoa plant genotypes in different planting dates and their effects on yield and yield components under the Samangan climatic conditions

Abstract

Quinoa is a dicotyledonous plant from the Amaranthaceae family, classified as a pseudocereal. Having genetic diversity and wide flexibility allows this plant to adapt to various environments. One of the key factors to consider when introducing a plant into the cropping pattern of any region is the optimal planting date. Adhering to the appropriate planting date leads to higher economic yields without incurring additional costs. In order to evaluate the grain yield and yield components of the quinoa plant under the influence of planting dates and genotypes, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at the research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Samangan Higher Education Institute, during the year 1403. In this study, planting dates (5^th March, 5^th April, and 5^th May) were considered as the first factor, and three genotypes (Titicaca, Q26, and Q29) were considered as the second factor. The results of this study showed that the planting dates had a significant difference in terms of grain yield, biological yield, plant height, stem diameter, panicle length, number of panicles per plant, and thousand-seed weight. The planting date of 5^th April produced the highest grain yield (2129.33 kg/ha) compared to the other two planting dates. The average grain yield for the studied genotypes was 2129.33, 1978.66, and 1855.33 kg/ha, respectively. Among the studied genotypes, the Titicaca genotype showed superiority and better adaptability compared to the other two genotypes. Considering the climatic conditions of the Samangan region and the results of this study, it can be concluded that the Titicaca genotype of quinoa had superior grain yield and yield components in all three planting dates compared to the other genotypes, showing better adaptability. Therefore, due to its higher grain yield and more favorable growth characteristics, the cultivation of the Titicaca genotype on the planting date of 5^th April is recommended.