Evaluation of Economic Water Productivity in Quinoa Cultivation Using Saline Water and Deficit Irrigation in a Tape Drip Irrigation System in Fars Province

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Water Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz,, Iran

2 Water Engineering Department and Drought Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

3 Water Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

10.22059/ijswr.2025.398660.669982

Abstract

In the context of drought and water scarcity in the country, assessing water productivity, conducting economic evaluations, and determining the economic water productivity of crops tolerant to salinity and drought stress are of critical importance. This study investigates the cultivation of autumn quinoa under saline irrigation water and deficit irrigation using a tape drip system, with an emphasis on economic performance. Given the significance of quinoa in sustainable cropping systems, evaluating its water productivity and conducting a comprehensive economic analysis are essential. A factorial split-plot experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study included four levels of irrigation water salinity (0.6, 5, 15, and 25 dS.m-1), two irrigation regimes: full irrigation and 50% of full irrigation and, three quinoa cultivars Titicaca, T1, and Giza1.According to the results the maximum quinoa water productivity was seen at 0.6 dS.m-1 water salinity under 50% full irrigation for Titicaca cultivar. Which was %4.76 higher that two other cultivars. Economic analysis revealed that the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.69) was achieved under full irrigation with 0.6 dS.m-1 saline irrigation water. Under full irrigation, the benefit-cost ratio exceeded one and economic water productivity remained positive across all salinity levels except for the highest salinity treatment (25 dS.m-1). Under full irrigation, the economic water productivity values were 0.64, 0.56, and 0.19 dollars/cubic meter for irrigation water in water salinity levels of 0.6, 5, and 15 dS.m-1, respectively. Therefore, these treatments are economically viable. In contrast, under 50% full irrigation, the benefit-cost ratio was below one and economic water productivity was negative at all water salinity levels. Therefore, the application of 50% deficit irrigation across varying salinity levels is not economically viable for quinoa production in the studied region.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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References

Introduction

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of the economy in many developing countries, contributing significantly to gross domestic product and ensuring food security. In Iran, agricultural development faces particular challenges due to water scarcity, as national rainfall averages only one-third of the global mean and its temporal and spatial distribution often misaligns with agricultural demand. Furthermore, water salinity has emerged as a major global environmental issue. One approach to mitigating salinity stress is the cultivation of salt-tolerant crops, such as quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), which can thrive in highly saline conditions. In addition, drip irrigation particularly tape drip systems offer advantages such as reduced water loss, and improved crop quality. It enables precise and uniform water application directly to the root zone, helping maintain matric potential and mitigating osmotic stress associated with saline irrigation. Quinoa is a resilient crop with high nutritional value, exceptional adaptability to harsh environmental conditions, and potential to enhance food and nutritional security, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Its high market value and low production costs make it a promising option for sustainable agriculture. However, salt tolerance varies among quinoa cultivars, and limited research exists on its field performance under drip irrigation systems in saline and deficit irrigation conditions, particularly in Iran. Given this context, the present study aimed to assess seed yield, water productivity, economic evaluation, and determine economic water productivity of quinoa cultivated with saline water and under deficit irrigation using a tape drip system in the Bajgah region of Fars Province.

Materials and Methods

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the Water Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University (located in Bajgah, 16 km north of Shiraz; 32°52′ N, 32°29′ E; elevation: 1810 m above sea level). The study followed a factorial-split plot design in a randomized complete block with three replications. The treatments included: Four irrigation water salinity levels: 0.6, 5, 15, and 25 dS.m-1 (designated EC1 to EC4), Two irrigation levels: full irrigation (FI) and 50% of full irrigation (0.5FI), Three quinoa cultivars: Titicaca, T1, and Giza-1. Irrigation was applied using a tape drip system with emitters spaced at 10 cm intervals and a discharge rate of 2 L.ha-1. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the LSD test for mean comparisons, performed in SAS 9.4. To evaluate the economic feasibility of quinoa cultivation under the experimental treatments, engineering economic methods including net present value (NPV (, and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) were employed.

Results and Discussion

The highest seed yield (3106 kg.ha-1) was observed under full irrigation with 0.6 dS.m-1 irrigation water salinity. Under full irrigation, seed yield declined by 5.88%, 31.6%, and 50.3% with increasing irrigation water salinity (from 0.6 to 5, 15, and 25 dS.m-1, respectively). Under deficit irrigation, yield reductions were more pronounced 21.3%, 36.5%, and 49.7% for the same irrigation water salinity levels. Water productivity improved under deficit irrigation but decreased with rising irrigation water salinity. The maximum water productivity (0.84 kg.m-3) was achieved by the Titicaca cultivar under 50% irrigation with 0.6 dS.m-1 salinity. In contrast, the lowest value (0.34 kg.m-3) occurred at 25 dS.m-1 salinity with full irrigation.
For economic evaluation, a quinoa selling price of $2.06 per kg was assumed. The highest NPV, BCR, and economic water productivity were recorded under full irrigation and 0.6 dS.m-1 salinity. The BCR exceeded one for all salinity levels under full irrigation, except at 25 dS.m-1. Under deficit irrigation, the BCR was below one across all salinity levels due to significant yield losses. Notably, even under salinity levels as high as 15 dS.m-1, quinoa cultivation under full irrigation remained economically viable. Among the cultivars, Titicaca exhibited the highest economic performance with a BCR of 1.15, followed by Giza-1 and T1, both with a BCR of 1.13.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed equally to the conceptualization of the article and writing of the original and subsequent drafts.

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Shiraz University Research Council, the Drought Research Center, the Center of Excellent for On-Farm Water Management, and the Iran National Science Foundation (NSF) for funding.

Ethical considerations

The authors avoided data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and misconduct.

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest. 
Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research
Volume 56, Issue 10
January 2026
Pages 2751-2766

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