Abstract
Quinoa’s germplasm evaluation is the first step towards determining its suitability under new environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to introduce suitable germplasm to the lowland areas of the Faisalabad Plain that could then be used to introduce quinoa more effectively to that region. A set of 117 quinoa genotypes belonging to the USDA quinoa collection was evaluated for 11 phenotypic quantitative traits (grain yield (Y), its biological and numerical components plus phenological variables) in a RCBD during two consecutive growing seasons at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan under mid-autumn sowings. Genotypic performance changed across the years, however most phenotypic traits showed high heritability, from 0.75 for Harvest Index (HI) to 0.97 for aerial biomass (B) and Y. Ordination and cluster analyses differentiated four groups dominated by genotypes from: Peru and the Bolivian Highlands (G1); the Bolivian Highlands (G2); the Ballón collection (regarded as a cross between Bolivian and Sea Level (Chilean) genotypes) plus Bolivian Highlands (G3); and Ballón plus Sea Level (G4), this latter group being the most differentiated one. This genetic structure shared similarities with previous groups identified using SSR markers and G×E data from an international quinoa test. G4 genotypes showed the highest Y associated with higher B and seed numbers (SN), while HI made a significant contribution to yield determination in G2 and seed weight (SW) in G3. G1 and G2 showed the lowest Y associated with a lower B and SN. Moreover, SW showed a strongly negative association with SN in G2. Accordingly, G4 followed by G3 are better suited to the lowland areas of Faisalabad plain and the physiological traits underlying yield determination among genotypic groups should be considered in future breeding programs.
Highlights
The growing popularity of quinoa in the recent years made the crop require little introduction [1,2]
Growing conditions in Faisalabad, Pakistan were similar among the experimental years, but with a lower minimum temperature and rainfall during the second season (Table 1)
The seasonal photoperiod varied from 10.4 to 12.9 h day−1 for the crop cycle, with most genotypes flowering during spring and maturing in summer
Summary
The growing popularity of quinoa in the recent years made the crop require little introduction [1,2] This is the consequence of sustained demand for its seed in the international market, in the Health Food sector in developed countries [3]. This was accompanied by a parallel increased interest in quinoa evaluation and production in many countries outside the Andes, its traditional growing region [5,6]. It was its good nutritional balance and high prices, and the capacity of the crop to face many limitations like water deficits, salinity, frost or poor soils that contributed to this interest [7,8]. Germplasm from different countries were evaluated and new breeding programs started in the US, Canada, the E.U., Australia, Israel, China, India and the Middle East, among others
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