Open AccessAmaranth irrigation frequency in northeast Patagonia, Argentina
Author(s) -
María Zubillaga,
Roberto Simón Martínez,
Ricardo Camina,
Gustavo Adolfo Orioli,
Mauricio Failla,
Maite Alder,
Daniel Alejandro Barrio
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
biotechnologie, agronomie, société et environnement
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1780-4507
pISSN - 1370-6233
DOI - 10.25518/1780-4507.19310
Subject(s) - irrigation , amaranth , amaranthus cruentus , crop , agronomy , irrigation management , temperate climate , panicle , biology , environmental science , geography , agroforestry , botany
. The production potential of grain amaranth has recently been demonstrated in northeastern Patagonia, Argentina. This crop under irrigation and in a temperate semi-arid climate showed an adequate development of the plants in their different phenological stages with high economic performance. Objectives. This study explored the response of Amaranthus cruentus cv Mexicano to different irrigation frequencies in the lower valley of Río Negro river, Patagonia, Argentina. Method. The experimental design was of three blocks with randomized treatments (subplots), each one corresponding to a different irrigation frequency. The first six irrigations were performed every 7 days for all the treatments, to ensure the establishment of the crop. Then the following treatments were applied: irrigation every 7 days (FI), every 14 days (FII), and every 21 days (FIII). The following biometric variables and their components were measured: height of plant, number of leaves, biomass and economic yield. Results. The results suggest that the optimum irrigation frequency was FII (14 days), resulting in an adequate plant stand at panicle initiation and allows a proper development of plant with optimal biological and economical yields and the highest efficiency of water use (4.02 kg·m-3). Conclusions. The contributions of this study demonstrated the production potential of A. cruentus crop in the lower valley of the Río Negro river under irrigation, representing the southernmost study on irrigation frequency made for this grain crop in the world. A management of irrigation water of 7 days for the establishment of the crop and then with a frequency of 14 days showed the highest yield and the best water use efficiency.