Effect of limited irrigation with saline water on seed yield and seed quality of two local populations of Kochia scoparia L. Schrad

Kochia (Kochia scoparia L. Schrad) is annual salt-tolerant and drought-tolerant specie, it can be a valuable source of forage using saline water in arid zones. In order to evaluate the effects of limited irrigation on seed yield and seed quality of two local population of Kochia a field experiment was conducted in Research Field of Center of Excellence for Special Plants, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad at 2007. The experiment was arranged in a spilt arrangement based on completely randomized block design with 3 replications. In main plots were four irrigation regimes including: complete irrigation (100%), 80%, 60% and 40% of water requirements and two local populations of kochia including Sabzevar and Borujerd were allocated to subplots. The plant characteristics were studied in terms of 1000 grains weight, seed yield, oil percentage, oil yield, protein percentage, protein yield, germination percentage, mean germination time, seedling length and seedling dry weight. Result showed that the effect of different irrigation regimes imposed a significant effect on all plant characteristics. In 40% treatment a significant reduction in oil percentage (33%) and seedling dry weight (65%) were observed to complete irrigation. Sabzevar's local population represented a better performance on all of above characteristics except protein percentage, mean germination time and seedling length that no significant effect were recorded. There was positive significant correlation between oil percentage and protein percentage. Maximum correlation showed between seed yield and oil yield.