Fadi Abbas*⁽¹⁾ Thamer AlHunish⁽²⁾ Entessar Al-Jbawi ⁽³⁾Manal Osman⁽²⁾

• Scientific Agriculture Research Center of Homs, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Syria.
• Crops Research Administration, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR).
• Ministry of Agrarian Reform, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr.Fadi Abbas. E-Mail: fadiab77@gmail.com)

Abstract

Lab and field experiments were conducted at Homs Agriculture Research Station, during 2019. In the lab experiment, PEG₆₀₀₀ was applied to the germination medium with low osmotic potentials (OP) i.e. 0, -2, -4, -6, -8 and -10 bar. In the field experiment, the varieties were subjected to water stress (no irrigation during the growing season) in addition to the irrigated control. Those experiments aimed to screen the quinoa varieties based on the relative drought tolerance indexes (RDTI), and to assess the response of some growth and yield indicators to drought in the field. The lab trial was designed according to the completely randomized design (CRD) with six replicates while Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) which arranged according to split plot design was used for the field experiment with three replicates. The lab experiment results showed variation between the varieties regarding the response to the application of PEG6000 in the medium. The two varieties NSL106398 and Giza1 achieved the highest rates in germination percent and speed, with significant differences compared to other varieties.  The drought tolerance indexes were studied to determine the differences between the varieties and the previous two varieties were considered drought tolerant at the germination stage, where they achieved the highest values with significant differences compared to other varieties (Titicaca, Q26,  and Red Carina) which considered drought sensitive. In the field experiment, the time required for physiological maturity decreased  significantly, and the effect of water stress on plant height was also negatively observed,  so the two varieties NSL106398 and Giza1 achieved the lowest rates (7.69, 7.08%) respectively, with significant differences compare to the other varieties which decreased by 17.70 to 22.82%. In term of grain yield, the same two varieties NSL106398 and Giza1 achieved the lowest rates of decline (16.19, 14.75%) respectively, with significant differences compare to the other varieties (Titicaca, Red Carina ,  and Q26) which decreased by (46.18, 39.34, 35.28%) respectively.

Key words: Water stress, PEG₆₀₀₀, Relative drought tolerance  index, Grain yield,  Quinoa.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf