Performance of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) under varied sowing windows and planting patterns

Abstract

The experiment on “Performance of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) under varied sowing windows and planting patterns” was carried out at Main Research Station, Hebbal, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, during Kharif-2019. The experiment constituted four sowing dates (D1: July second fortnight, D2: August first fortnight, D3: August second fortnight and D4: September first fortnight) and four planting patterns (S1: 30 × 15 cm, S2: 45 × 15 cm, S3: 60 × 15 cm and S4: 75 × 15 cm) and replicated thrice was laid out in split-plot design. The results revealed that, increase in AGR and CGR with advancement of age of quinoa and was peak at 60 DAS and showed decreasing trend towards harvest. Sowing during July second fortnight showed significantly, higher AGR and CGR between 30-60 DAS (0.367 and 5.11, respectively) and grain and stover yield (2051 and 2439 kg/ha, respectively) as compared to other sowing windows. Similarly, between 60 DAS-harvest, Absolute Growth Rate and Crop Growth Rate (0.195 and 2.65, respectively) were significantly higher under July second fortnight sowing window, yet was found to be on par with sowing on August first fortnight and August second fortnight. In contrary, September first fortnight sown crop reached days to 50 per cent flowering (43.90) and days to maturity (97.36) early, which was significantly lower compared to other sowing windows and found on par with August first fortnight sown crop (41.16 and 95.53, respectively). Among the varied planting patterns, 45 × 15 cm spacing was found to be optimum and recorded significantly higher grain and stover yield (1941 and 2346 kg/ha, respectively) as compared to other spacings.