ABSTRACT
In this study, an experiment was carried out to determine the suitability of autumn planting for quinoa in the Fars region. Quinoa seeds (Titicaca, no. 5206) were planted in two different times, in September and March, at the Drought Research Center of Shiraz University, Fars Province, Iran. The average seed yield of quinoa planted in spring was 4.6 Mg/ha, while with the autumn planting the yield increased by 10% to 5.06 Mg/ha. Furthermore, the autumn cultivation decreased the amount of water consumed in irrigation by 40% and also decreased the pest damage usually seen with spring planting. The proposed autumn planting date may, therefore, be a promising solution for quinoa cultivation in the semi-arid area of Fars province, not only boosting water productivity but also improving the seeds’ physiological characteristics.
