Plant Growth and Grain Yield of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) Under Irrigated Conditions in Different Environments of Central Malawi.

Nine varieties of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) introduced in Malawi were evaluated for plant growth and grain yield under small-scale farmers’ irrigated conditions. The evaluation was conducted in six different agricultural Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) that represented three main different ecological areas of central Malawi. The EPAs were Chiluwa & Nkhunga (low altitude: 470 to 520 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l) and warm), Mwansambo (medium altitude: 550 to 650 m.a.s.l, mildly warm), and Nalunga, Kalira-2 & Malomo (high altitude: 1000 to 2300 m.a.s.l and cool). Eleven farmers whose fields were close to water sources for irrigation hosted the experiments. A researcher managed experiment was conducted on each selected farmer’s field with nine varieties (Black-seeded, Brightest-Brilliant-Raibow (BBR), Biobio, Cherry-vanilla, Multihued, Red-head, QQ74, Puno and Titicaca) and a Randomized Complete Block Design of three replicates. The varieties were sown during the second week of May and harvested from mid to the end of August 2014. Maturity period of the varieties varied (p<0.001) among sites where in the low altitude sites the quinoa matured early within 90 days, in the mid altitude sites quinoa matured in 100 to 110 days while in the high altitude took up to 120 days. No significant variation in maturity period was observed among the varieties. Grain yields varied (p<0.001) among sites and with significant site x variety interactions. Highest yielding varieties were BBR (2669 kg/ha) in Chiluwa and Cherry-vanilla (4141 kg/ha in Nkhunga. In Mwansambo Biobio (4290 kg/ha) was the highest yielding. In Nalunga it was Cherry-vanilla (4141 kg/ha), in Kalira-2 it was BBR (1302 kg/ha), while in Malomo it was BBR (4583 kg/ha), Biobio (4375 kg/ha) and Multihued (4323 kg/ha) as highest yielding varieties. These results show potential of quinoa production in the different environments of central Malawi.

Key words:  quinoa evaluation, ecological areas, irrigated conditions, central Malawi