PHENOLOGY, LODGING AND YIELD TRAITS OF Chenopodium quinoa UNDER THE EFFECT OF PLANTING DENSITY AND ROW SPACINGS.

Quinoa is a resilient high-yielding pseudo-crop that produces grains with a balanced amino acid composition and a higher protein content than the major cereals. To explore a suitable local cultivation model in the northern part of Shanxi Province, the influence of different densities and row spacing were analyzed on the above-ground agronomic and yield characteristics. The quinoa variety 'Q1' was sown at different seeding density (6.0x 10⁴, 7.5x10⁴, 9.0x10⁴, 10.5x10⁴, and 12x10⁴ plants h^-1) and row spacings (40, 50, 60, 80+40, and 90+30 cm). The results showed that the quinoa had the longest growth period and lowest lodging rate under the density of 9.0x10⁴ plants h^-1. The post-flowering chlorophyll content, stalk strength, the number of branches, and 1000-grains weight were increased first and then decreased with increasing the planting density, highest at 9x⁴ plants h^-1 which were 24%, 30%, 39%, 27%, and 44% higher respectively than other density. Wide-narrow row arrangement of 80+40 cm was more appropriate for lower density while uniform row spacing of 60 cm significantly increased yield and improved canopy at optimum and higher density. It can be seen that the optimum planting density (9x10⁴ plants h^-1) and row spacings (60 cm) can increase the yield of quinoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]