Vermicompost fertilization and pinching improves the growth, yield, and quality of super food (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in the western Himalaya

Quinoa is highly nutritious crop in terms of human health and food security with increased utilization in modern world. The present study aims to analyze the responses of quinoa accessions to vermicompost fertilization and pinching in the western Himalaya and to evaluate the optimal vermicompost dose in combination with pinching to stabilize and improve the production of superfood. A 2-year field experiment was executed at CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, HP, India. Vermicompost application @ 5.0 t ha−1 recorded significant effect on quinoa yield attributes and seed yield. Plant height was 14.8% and 11.5% higher while length of panicles was 13.4% and 22.2% higher in without pinched plants than pinching during 2017 and 2018, respectively. Vermicompost @ 5.0 t ha−1 recorded 39.5% and 38.7% and pinching recorded 10.9% and 12.5% higher (P = 0.05) seed yield than control during 2017 and 2018, respectively. Growth and yield attributes of both accessions remained at par with each other. Number of branches, number of panicles and dry weight of panicles (g plant−1) correlated significantly with seed yield. Proximate analysis revealed that the fat concentration ranged from 6.1 to 6.6% while carbohydrate concentration ranged from 74.5 to 76.2%, and other nutrients were present in permissible limits. The interaction effect showed that vermicompost application with pinching in IHBT/Ac-1 accession recorded highest yield (6.76 t ha−1) of quinoa under mid hills conditions of the western Himalaya.