Integrated nutrient management and seed priming are viable options to enhance seed yield and quality in quinoa (Chinopodium quinoa Willd.)

A field experiment was conducted at Rajasthan Agricultural Research Institute, Jaipur during two consecutive rabi seasons of 2018-19 and 2019-20 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management and seed priming on seed yield and quality in quinoa. Experiment was laid out in a split plot design with twelve treatment combinations comprising four nutrient management practices i.e. no fertilizer (NM0), N45P23K30+2% FeSO4 (NM1), N45P23K30+2% DAP (NM2); and NC125+VC1250+PSB10+KSB10+AZ(10) (NM3) as main-plot treatments and three pre-sowing seed priming technologies i.e. no seed priming (SP0), 1.5% Trichoderma harziannum (SP1) and, 20% Pseudomonas fluorescence (SP2) as sub-plot treatments. Results showed that application of NM2 and SP1 exhibited significantly higher plant height (19.5 and 7.2%), number of branches (40.5 and 11.6%), seed weight (12.9 and 4.6%), total dry matter (TDM) (30.5 and 3.9%), chlorophyll content (47.4 and 3.8%) and crude protein content (27.6 and 1.8%) over control. Cumulative effect of these parameters was exhibited in terms of highest yield potential (24.64 and 23.14q ha(-1)) (28.5 and 9.4% higher) and excellent seed/seedling quality and energy parameters along with highest net return ((sic) 61974 and 55501 ha(-1)) and B:C ratio (2.55 and 2.22) over control. A positive significant correlation for seed yield was also observed with plant height (0.983), seed weight (0.990), TDM (0.955), chlorophyll content (0.950), protein content (0.946) and seed/seedling quality parameters. Overall, application of N45P23K30+2% DAP spray at pre-flowering stage along with pre-sowing seed priming with 1.5% Trichoderma harziannum is recommended as suitable strategy to improve yield and quality in quinoa under semi-arid conditions.