Effects of various irrigation strategies using fresh and saline water applied with drip irrigation system on yield of quinoa and salt accumulation in soil in the Mediterranean region and evaluation of saltmed model

In this study the effects of various irrigation strategies using fresh and saline water applied with drip irrigation system on yield and vegetative growth of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) and salt accumulation in soil in the Mediterranean region were investigated and the results were compared with the simulated results obtained from SALTMED Model.The research was carried out in 2009 at the experimental station of Irrigation and Agricultural Structures Department of Faculty of Agriculture at Çukurova University in Adana, using Q-52 quinoa variety. In the study four different treatments were considered: Full irrigation using fresh water (FIF); conventional deficit irrigation (DI, 50%); partial root-zone drying (PRD, 50%); and full irrigation using saline water with electrical conductivity of 5 dS/m (FIS).The results revealed that there was no significant difference in yields among the treatments studied. Irrigating quinoa under the Mediterranean conditions with saline water with salinity of 5 dS/m or applying 50 % less water as compared to full irrigation resulted in similar yields. There was a good agreement between the measured grain and dry matter yield and simulated yield by SALTMED Model. Simulated evapotranspiration values were in close agreement with the measured data in full irrigation treatments (FIF and FIS). However in deficit irrigation treatments (DI and PRD), there was a significant difference between the simulated and measured ET values. Under deficit irrigation situations, some modifications should be made in the SALTMED model in order to increase reliability of simulation.