Effects of Different Salt Concentrations on Quinoa Seedling Quality

Abstract

The experiment designed a completely randomized experimental design was carried out Adnan Menderes University, Agriculture Faculties greenhouse. Quinoa variety candidate named “Saponinsiz” is used experimental material. The seeds were sowed in plastic pots filled with soil and perlite (%50+%50) at the greenhouse with six replicates. Five different salt concentrations were determined as 0 (control), 4 ds m -1 , 8 ds m -1 , 16 ds m -1 and 30 ds m -1 and were applied with NaCl solution which was prepared before sowing. Leaf number, leaf length, leaf width, leaf thickness, stem thickness and green biomass weight values ​​ were measured when the quinoa plant reached 6 leaf stage. As a result of the study, it was observed that the differences between the salt concentrations in leaf number, leaf length, leaf width and green biomass weight were significant. The maximum leaf length (11.53 mm) was measured with 8 ds m -1 salt concentration applied plants, whereas the maximum leaf width (4.99 mm) and green biomass (1019.5 mg) were measured with 4 ds m -1 . The control plot only showed the highest values ​​ for the leaf number value. These results confirmed that the quinoa plant was facultative halophytic species (salt-resistant). It was determined that 16 ds m -1 dose gave the lowest values in all measurements. And any plant wasn’t growing at the 30 ds m -1 applied pots. The values of the experiment measured of 4 ds m -1 pots and 8 ds m -1 pots, which is considered the limit values for the field crops, were approximately equal or greater than control pots. Moreover, there was a rapid decline of plant on the 16 ds m -1 values.