Seed quality of 22 quinoa materials (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) from the department of Boyacá

Elsa Helena Manjarres Hernández,Ana Cruz Morillo Coronado,Wendy Lorena Reyes Ardila

doi:10.1590/0034-737x202067040008

Elsa Helena Manjarres Hernández, Ana Cruz Morillo Coronado + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-737x202067040008

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Chenopodium quinoa Willd. is a pseudocereal with seeds that are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. However, there are few studies on quinoa seed quality, especially for the Colombian germplasm. So, the objective of this research was to determine the quality of 22 quinoa materials from the Department of Boyaca by evaluating the physical (color, shape and diameter) and physiological (tetrazolium test) quality of the seeds. It was found that 36% of the materials had a white grain color, 80% cylindrical shape, 65% smooth edges and diameters smaller than 2mm, desirable characteristics for post-harvest processes. The evaluated physical characteristics presented high variability between the evaluated materials, which is desirable for elite breeding processes. The imbibition rate showed that germination was rapid (at 4 hours, the weight of the seeds doubled), that is, the materials were not dormant. Finally, it was determined that storage conditions, such as temperature and relative humidity, are essential for preventing deterioration in quinoa seeds; these factors can also affect germination and long-term vigor.

Highlights

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an Andean ancestral crop that belongs to the Amarantaceae family and has great nutritional value and broad agroecological adaptation (Razzaghi et al, 2015), with resistance to biotic and abiotic factors (Hussin et al, 2017)
Its seeds are rich in minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper, fiber and vitamins, along with a high antioxidant capacity (Valencia et al, 2017)
Taking into account the expanding cultivation area for quinoa, the growing popularity of grain in domestic and foreign markets, and the lack of scientific information on seed quality, this study aimed to assess the influence of the storage conditions of the Boyacá quinoa germplasm bank on the viability and vigor of its quinoa seeds

Summary

Introduction

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an Andean ancestral crop that belongs to the Amarantaceae family and has great nutritional value and broad agroecological adaptation (Razzaghi et al, 2015), with resistance to biotic and abiotic factors (Hussin et al, 2017). Its seeds are rich in minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper, fiber and vitamins, along with a high antioxidant capacity (Valencia et al, 2017). Quinoa seeds have been described as flat and spherical with an average diameter between 1.4-1.6 mm (Abugoch, 2009), where the endosperm appears as a cap that surrounds the radicle. Starch is found exclusively in the perisperm, while proteins and lipids are in the embryo (Prego et al, 1998). The high protein content of quinoa is due to the fact that 60% of the seed weight corresponds to the embryo that has a hypocotyl-radicle axis and two cotyledons. In the micropillary region of the seed is present the endosperm with one or two layers of tissue that surround the tip of the radicle (Gomaa et al, 2014). Quinoa is suitable for people on a gluten-free diet, which is beneficial for human health (Vilcacundo et al, 2017)

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