Effect of Chemical and Biological Fertilizers on Some Physiological Traits, Yield Components and Yield of Quinoa Plant

In order to investigate the effects of solitary and combined application of chemical and biological fertilizers on the yield and yield components of quinoa plant, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Dastgerd (Borkhar), Isfahan, central Iran, during the 2017-2018 growing season. Experimental factors included four levels of Chemical fertilizers [control, urea, triple superphosphate (TSP), and combined urea + TSP fertilizers] and bio-fertilizers at four levels (no inoculation, and inoculations with nitroxin, bio-phosphorus, and combined nitroxin + biophosphorus). Results showed that the interaction effects of chemical and biological fertilizers on leaf area index, grain yield, and yield components (including number of panicles per m2, number of grains per panicle, and 1000-grain weight) of quinoa plant were significant at 1% probability level. Combined application of urea and TSP fertilizers had the highest impact on the biological yield. Overall, the results showed that plant height, chlorophyll content and the number of panicles per m2 were significantly influenced by nitrogen sources of fertilizers used in this study. The phosphorus fertilizer sources had the highest effects on leaf area index, number of grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, and biological yield, which can be attributed to the greater impact of nitrogen on the increase of prolific panicles and to the marked role of phosphorus in both flower and grain formation. The integrated application of biofertilizers and all of the examined chemical fertilizers treatments increased the yield of quinoa plant compared to the control. Therefore, the application of biofertilizers as supplements can be introduced as a practical approach for optimal and balanced use of chemical fertilizers in order to achieve sustainable agriculture goals in quinoa cultivation.