Abstract

Due to its highly nutritive compounds, the demand for quinoa, a small grain originating from the Andean region of South America, increased rapidly over the last years. However, the main producing countries Bolivia and Peru cannot cover the growing demand. Therefore, the interest of European farmers in cultivating quinoa as a profitable source of income rose very fast. Thanks to a broad genetic diversity an adaption to various climatic conditions is possible. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of agronomic performance in two consecutive growing periods (2015 and 2016) of four European quinoa cultivars (Puno, Titicaca, Jessie, Zeno), originating from different genepools to identify a suitable cultivar to grow in southwestern Germany. Measurements included grain yield, thousand kernel weight (TKW), saponin content, protein content, crude fat content, amino acid profile and fatty acid profile. This study demonstrated the possibility of an economic production of quinoa under the environmental conditions in southwestern Germany, combining competitive yields (1.73–2.43 Mg ha−1) with a high grain quality regarding protein content (11.9–16.1%), essential amino acid content (20.35–30.02 g 100 g−1 crude protein), fat content (5.5–7.5%) and fatty acid profile (consists of 60% linoleic acid). Depending on cultivar, the investigated yield (TKW and protein content)-and quality ((semi-)essential amino acids)-traits varied more or less sensitive, which was attributed to lower precipitation and higher temperatures in 2015. Furthermore, best yield- and quality-characteristics were not combined in one cultivar, wherefore the selection of a specific quinoa cultivar has to be aligned with the production aim.

Highlights

  • Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an annual dicotyledonous herbaceous crop of the Amaranthaceae family and native to the Andean region, including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia [1,2]

  • Significant cultivar effects occurred for grain yield, grain crude fat, and non-essential amino acids

  • This study showed that an economic production of quinoa, combining competitive yields with a high grain quality, is possible under the environmental conditions in southwestern Germany

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Summary

Introduction

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an annual dicotyledonous herbaceous crop of the Amaranthaceae family and native to the Andean region, including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia [1,2]. The cereal grain-like achenes of quinoa served as staple food for the indigenous Andean populations until it gained increasing interest during the last years, due to the highly nutritive compounds contained in the seeds [3,4,5]. Quinoa seeds provide essential (poly-) unsaturated fatty acids, minerals and a large antioxidant capacity [6,7,8]. It is suitable for celiac patients, due to the absence of gluten [9]. The demand for quinoa products and the price increased rapidly over the last years [1,10]. In order to meet the requirements of the increasing demand for raw quinoa

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