Adaptation of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) to Northern European agriculture: studies on developmental pattern

Abstract

Developmental patterns were studied in five groups of quinoa lines from different maturity classes in three years, and measured on five occasions between bud formation and seed set. Knowledge of how the developmental stage develops through the growing season is of importance in the breeding and selection of quinoa lines. Ranking of lines for earliness was consistent over growing seasons, and therefore it was concluded that selection for earliness could be performed at an early stage, i.e. the beginning of July. A growing period greater than 150 days would normally be regarded as too long and risky in Northern Europe, but in the three years under investigation it was possible to harvest lines of the green type with a longer growing period. The total growing period for the lines tested ranged from 109 to 182 days. The vegetative phase and the total growth period were significantly longer for green types than seed types in all years. Duration of the seed set period differed between seed and green types, and between years. In the spring and early summer of the drought year, 1992, both vegetative and seed set periods were shorter than for the other years. It must be concluded that seed types originating from Chile were adapted for growth under North European conditions. Although seed harvest of green types can occur in Denmark, they should preferably be grown at a more southerly latitude.