Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
- Masoumeh Salehi 1
- Reza Amiri 2
- Mehdi Jamshid moghadam 3
- Sadegh Shahbazi Dorbash 4
- Mohammad Hadi Ghaffarian Moqrab 5
- Hossein Hadavand Mirzaei 6
- Mohammad Javad Abarghoii 7
- Amin Khormali 8
- Hossein Bohlol 9
1 Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Yazd, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Yazd, Iran.
2 Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Kermanshah, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Kermanshah, Iran.
3 . Sararoood Sub-Station, Dryland Agricultural Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Kermanshah, Iran.
4 Dryland Agricultural Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Maragheh, Iran.
5 . Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Zanjan, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Zanjan, Iran.
6 Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran.
7 Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Semnan, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Semnan, Iran.
8 Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Golestan, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Gonbad, Iran.
9 Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Golestan, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Gorgan, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: In Iran, wheat and barley account for approximately 88% of crop production in dryland areas. Given the extensive area devoted to rainfed agriculture, diversification of cropping systems is essential. Currently, forage and grain legumes are the main alternative crops used in rotation with dryland wheat and barley, although safflower and canola cultivars have recently been introduced for dryland cultivation. Considering water limitations for forage production, the introduction of suitable forage species and cultivars for dryland regions is necessary. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a dicotyledonous plant cultivated for both grain and forage, has attracted attention due to its promising forage quality. Therefore, its potential for forage production under dryland conditions was evaluated.
Materials and Methods: Fifteen forage quinoa lines, along with the check cultivar ‘Terme’, were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications during the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 growing seasons across six locations: Khorramabad, Maragheh, Sararood, Gonbad, Chalaki (Gorgan), and Zanjan. Forage yield, plant height, and dry matter percentage were measured at the flowering stage. Forage quality of the superior lines was assessed based on protein, fiber, phenolic compounds, and digestibility. Statistical analyses were performed after testing variance homogeneity.
Results: Dry forage yield varied considerably across locations and growing seasons, ranging from 1.2 to 23 t ha⁻¹. Combined analysis revealed significant effects of environment and line × environment interaction, whereas differences among lines were not significant. Based on various stability indices, lines 5 and 7 exhibited desirable yield and stability, with mean dry forage yields of 8.7 and 7.3 t ha⁻¹, respectively. These lines contained 14.2% and 14.0% crude protein and had relative forage values of 224 and 147, respectively. Line 13, with 15% crude protein and a relative forage value of 200, showed moderate stability and better adaptation to unfavorable environments. Protein yields of lines 5, 7, and 13 were 1,106, 1,027, and 1,024 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Overall, these three lines are promising candidates for rainfed cultivation due to their desirable forage yield, quality, and stability.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)