Comparative Salt-Stress Responses in Salt-Tolerant (Vikinga) and Salt-Sensitive (Regalona) Quinoa Varieties. Physiological, Anatomical and Biochemical Perspectives

Soil salinization is an important stress factor that limits plant growth and yield. Increased salinization is projected to affect more than 50% of all arable land by 2050. In addition, the growing demand for food, together with the increase in the world population, forces the need to seek salt-tolerant crops. Quinoa (<i>Chenopodium quinoa</i> Willd.) is an Andean crop of high importance, due to its nutritional characteristics and high tolerance to different abiotic stresses. The aim of this work is to determine the physiological, anatomical, and biochemical salt-tolerance mechanisms of a salt-tolerant (Vikinga) and a salt-sensitive (Regalona) quinoa variety. Plants were subjected to salinity stress for 15 days, starting at 100 mM NaCl until progressively reaching 400 mM NaCl. Physiological, anatomical, and biochemical parameters including growth, chlorophyll content, quantum yield of PSII (ϕ_PSII), gas exchange, stomatal density, size, and lipid peroxidation (via malondialdehyde, MDA) were measured. Results show that chlorophyll content, ϕ_PSII, and MDA were not significantly reduced under saline stress in both varieties. The most stress-affected process was the CO₂ net assimilation, with an up to 60% reduction in both varieties, yet Vikinga produced higher dry weight than Regalona due to the number of leaves. The stomatal densities increased under salinity for both varieties, with Regalona the one showing higher values. The averaged stomatal size was also reduced under salinity in both varieties. The capacity of Vikinga to generate higher dry weight is a function of the capacity to generate greater amounts of leaves and roots in any condition. The stomatal control is a key mechanism in quinoa’s salinity tolerance, acquiring higher densities with smaller sizes for efficient management of water loss and carbon assimilation. These findings highlight the potential of Vikinga for cultivation in temperate salinized environments during winter, such as Deltas and lowlands where rice is grown during summer.