Linking Climatic Variability with Spatial Performance in Two Varieties of Quinoa Distributed in a Semi-Arid Zone

Sonia Montecinos, Pablo Salinas, Rómulo Oses, Leticia González-Silvestre, Marco A. Molina-Montenegro

Banco Base de Semillas-Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA), Centro Regional Intihuasi, La Serena, Chile.
Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas áridas (CEAZA), Colina El Pino s/n, La Serena, Chile.
Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas áridas (CEAZA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile.

DOI: 10.4236/ajps.2012.312205                

Abstract

Different crop varieties can respond in different ways to the climatic variations at local scale. Thus, in order to maximize the yield for a determined crop, the response of different varieties submitted to local climatic conditions should be assessed. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the ecophysiological responses of two varieties of Quinoa (PRP and BO78) submitted to different conditions of thermal amplitude. We performed two experiments in both greenhouse and in 3 sites on experimental-field where were evaluated survival, photochemical efficiency, plant growth and dry biomass in both varieties and compared them with the mean of the thermal conditions recorded during the last 16 years in the Coquimbo Region, Chile. Overall, individuals of BO78 showed higher performance in the sites with lower thermal amplitude than those of PRP. By contrast, in sites with higher thermal amplitude individuals of PRP showed better survival, physiological performance and biomass and therefore higher performance. Our results suggest that while BO78 showed an ecotypic strategy, the PRP showed a plastic strategy to maintain higher performance in sites with moderate and high climatic variability. We consider that under an increase in desertification, semi-arid areas would be available for stress tolerant crops like Quinoa, but the success for the food security in these regions may depend upon the variety used.

Keywords

Quinoa; Thermal Amplitude; Plasticity; Ecophysiology; Crop Yield

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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