A Brief Study of Quinoa Role and Its Adaptation towards Salinity and Drought Stress

Abstract

In light of declining freshwater supplies and soil salinization, it is critical to evaluate the ability of halophytic plant species to grow in semi-arid and arid environments, where crop plant production is significantly reduced. Soil salinity is a major agricultural issue in Pakistan, with alt-affected soils alone covering over six million hectares and more than 70% of tube-wells in saline areas pumping out salty water. Quinoa is a crop with seeds having a variety of nutrients in it as well as it’s seed are gluten-free with good agronomic, morphologic and biochemical characteristics and has a great potential to grow under combative climatic conditions; this property of quinoa makes it an excellent crop especially in the countries where adverse climatic conditions exist. It is a pseudo-cereal and is adaptable to different environmental needs, and has a great potential to deal with various abiotic stresses. Quinoa grows well under arid to semi-arid conditions where salinity and drought are common problems. Several studies have been carried out to elucidate the mechanisms used by quinoa to cope with high salt levels in the soil at various stages of plant development, but further research is still needed. Despite several recent researches on quinoa abiotic tension, much detail remains undisclosed. The present review discusses the quinoa adaptation towards salinity and drought stress.