LU-CAEHS Research Seminar
“Quinoa Resilience: Exploring Drought Tolerance Mechanisms and Sustainable Management Practices”
This presentation explores quinoa’s response to moisture stress, emphasizing its potential as a drought tolerant crop essential for food security in the face of climate change. Originally cultivated in the Andean regions of South America, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) has gained global popularity due to exceptional nutritional benefits, including its status as a complete protein, rich mineral content, and gluten-free nature. However, challenges such as the lack of adapted cultivars and limited agronomic practices hinder production in the United States. Our research focuses on identifying drought-tolerant quinoa germplasm following various physiological trait measurements. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to assess the performance of different quinoa genotypes under varying irrigation treatments. Key physiological traits, including stomatal conductance, transpiration, and leaf vapor pressure deficit (VPD), were measured alongside grain yield to evaluate drought resilience. Findings indicate certain quinoa lines exhibit significant yield potential even under limited water conditions. Results also suggested physiological traits such as stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and leaf vapor pressure deficit can be effectively used to screen genetic materials to develop drought-tolerant quinoa cultivars in a breeding setting. Additionally, we deployed a small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) to integrate manual data collection with high-throughput aerial phenotyping, enabling a better understanding of irrigation and nutrient requirements for production in the Midwest. Our study also highlights that combining high fertilizer rates with minimal irrigation to enhance grain yields. This research underscores the importance of developing drought-resilient quinoa varieties and refining management practices to improve productivity and contribute to sustainable agricultural systems.
Presented by Dr. Addissu Ayele, Assistant Professor of Crop Physiology.
