The effect of drought on water regime and growth of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa willd.)

Abstract

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a highly nutritious Andean seed crop which shows great potential to grow under a range of different stress environments. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of drought on water regime and the growth of quinoa variety KVL52 in controlled conditions. The results of the present experiment indicate that the reaction of quinoa plants to drought are based on drought avoidance mechanisms: reduced transpiration and sustained water uptake. Transpiration was reduced due to the decrease of stomatal conductance and leaf area development. These results could be of practical importance for testing the possibility of growing quinoa as a new drought resistant crop in Serbia.

Kvinoja (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) je nutritivno visoko vredna kultura poreklom sa Anda, koja se može gajiti u različitim stresnim uslovima spoljašnje sredine. Cilj ovih istraživanja je bio da se ispita efekat suše na vodni režim i rastenje sorte kvinoje KVL52 u kontrolisanim uslovima gajenja. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da su reakcije kvinoje na sušu bazirane na mehanizmu izbegavanja suše: redukciji transpiracije i održanju usvajanja vode. Transpiracija je redukovana zahvaljujući opadanju provodljivosti stoma i redukciji lisne površine. Ovi rezultati mogu biti od praktičnog značaja za testiranje mogućnosti gajenja kvinoje kao kulture koja je otporna na sušu i nova za gajenje u Srbiji.