Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) Production in the Andean Region: Challenges and Potentials

Abstract

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) has functional and nutritional value due to its content of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, carbohydrates, starch and oil. It is a crop with a wide geographic distribution in the Andean Region, where the greatest diversity of crop forms, genotypes and wild progenitors is found. It is a short day’s photoperiod plant, with efficient use of water, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. It prefers loam-sandy to clay loam well-drained soils because it is sensitive to excess moisture. It requires from 10 to 18°C with a thermal oscillation of 5 to 7°C. In Ecuador, quinoa grows between 2500 - 3600 masl; however, in Peru and Bolivia quinoa grows from sea level to 4000 masl. The luminosity of 5 to 7 h day-1 is suitable to meet transpiration and photosynthetic processes. Quinoa is a crop that has all the essential amino acids, suitable mineral elements, vitamins and does not contain gluten. Regarding fertilization, quinoa is highly demanding of N, P, K and Ca. The production volume of quinoa in the Andes is approximate of 180000 t y-1 and uses around 191000 ha, with Peru (the leading world producer) reaching the highest production (105000 t, 69000 ha), followed by Bolivia (75000 t, 121000 ha) and Ecuador (12000 t, 7000 ha). The demand for quinoa has increases in USA (60%) and Europe (90%), but those areas have not the agronomic conditions for quinoa´s growth. This opens an international market opportunity for Andean countries. Nevertheless, quinoa´s production faces several challenges.

Botany, Nutritional Value, Phytochemical Composition and Biological Activities of Quinoa

“…Quinoa is a good source of vitamins E and B and folic acid, which are concentrated in the embryo [61,62]. Quinoa possesses a significant amount of vitamin C, riboflavin, folic acid and thiamine compared to other cereals.…”

Quinoa in Ecuador: Recent Advances under Global Expansion

“…However, the increased quinoa grain production did not have a readymade market; thus, a large amount of quinoa seed was stored for the following two years, and the fall in quinoa prices explains the drop in production in 2017 [16] ( Figure 1A). International demand was high in 2015 and 2016, and quinoa production from Peru and Bolivia combined reached 180,000 t in 2015 [24]. In 2019, quinoa production increased again (4504 t) since many farmers' associations, mainly in the provinces of Chimborazo and Cotopaxi, have stable international markets.…”

“…In 2007, “INIAP Pata de Venado” was released due to its excellent adaptation to and production in high elevation environments (3000 to 3600 m a.s.l.) [ 21 , 24 ].…”

Producción de quinua (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) en monocultivo y en asociación con haba (vicia faba) bajo las características físicas de un suelo andino del Ecuador / Production of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) in monoculture and in association with bean (Vicia faba) under the physical characteristics of an andean soil of Ecuador

“…Basantes-Morales (2010) señala que el nitrógeno es el elemento integrante de proteínas, clorofila, aminoácidos, albúminas vegetales y fermentos, por lo que su adición al suelo como fertilizante o fuente orgánica es necesaria y las cantidades a aplicar está en función de los requerimientos del cultivo y fertilidad nutricional del suelo. La quinua es exigente en N por su alto contenido de proteína, exigente en Ca, y moderada en P y K. En una revisión amplia sobre las potencialidades de la quinua Basantes-Morales et al, (2019), señalan que quinua se adapta a diferentes tipos de suelos, prefiriendo los franco-arenosos a franco-arcillosos con buen drenaje, ya que es muy sensible al exceso de humedad sobre todo en las fases iniciales del cultivo. Requiere de suelos fértiles con alto contenido de materia orgánica, aunque puede crecer en suelos adversos, arenosos, infértiles y arcillosos.…”