Salinity Stress Promote Drought Tolerance of Chenopodium Quinoa Willd

Abstract

ABSTRACTA greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of water and salt stress in Quinoa plants (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). Irrigation treatments using saline solutions of 0 (control), 50(T1), 200(T2), 400(T3), 600(T4), and 800(T5) mM sodium chloride (NaCl) were adopted. The results indicated that quinoa plants can tolerate water stress (50%FC) when irrigated with moderately saline water (T1 and T2, respectively). Salinity stress increases quinoa drought tolerance in terms of biomass production. Neither osmotic stress nor ions deficiency/toxicity seems to be determinant under T1 and 100%FC. Salinity induced a significant increase of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−), while reduced magnesium (Mg2+) and calcium (Ca2+) in stems, leaves, seed’s coating, and seeds. The potassium (K+)/Na+ ratio never fell below 1 with T1; yet, fell to 0.78 and 0.89 with T2 for 100% and 50%FC, respectively. The seed coat limited the passage of possibly toxic concentrations of Na+ and Cl− to seed interior, as high Na+ and Cl− was found in the seed coat.