First adaptation of quinoa in the Bhutanese mountain agriculture systems

Bhutan represents typical mountain agriculture farming systems with unique challenges. The agriculture production systems under environmental constraints are typical of small-scale agricultural subsistence systems related to family farming in the Himalayan Mountains with very low level of mechanization, numerous abiotic stresses influenced by climate and other socio-economic constraints. Quinoa was first introduced in 2015 through FAO's support to Bhutan as a new crop to enhance the food and nutritional security of the Bhutanese people. The main objective was to adapt this versatile crop to the local mountain agriculture conditions as a climate resilient crop for diversifying the farmer's traditional potato and maize based cropping systems. Ten quinoa varieties were evaluated at two different sites representing contrasted mountain agroecologies in Bhutan and were tested during the two agricultural campaigns 2016 and 2017. Yusipang (2600 masl) represents the cool temperate agroecological zone, and Lingmethang (640 masl) the dry subtropical agroecological zone. The sowing time differed depending on the growing season and elevation of the sites. Results indicate that quinoa can be successfully grown in Bhutan for the two different agroecological zones. The grain yields varied from 0.61 to 2.68 t.ha-1 in the high altitude areas where quinoa was seeded in spring and harvested in autumn season. The grain yield in the lower elevation ranged from 1.59 to 2.98 t.ha-1 where the crop was sown in autumn and harvested in winter season. Depending on genotypes' characteristics and agroecological zones, crop maturity significantly varied from 92 to 197 days with all genotypes maturing much earlier in the lower elevations where mean minimum and maximum temperatures during the growing season were higher. Quinoa is rapidly promoted across different agroecological contexts in the country as a new climate resilient and nutrient dense pseudo cereal to diversify the traditional existing cropping system with some necessary adjustments in sowing time, suitable varieties and crop management practices. To fast track the rapid promotion of this new crop in Bhutan, four varieties have been released in 2018. In just over three years, the cultivation of quinoa as a new cereal has been demonstrated and partially adapted to the maize and potato based traditional cropping systems under the Himalayan mountain agriculture. Quinoa is also being adapted to the rice based cropping system and rapidly promoted as an alternative food security crop in the current 12th Five Year national development plan of Bhutan. To rapidly promote quinoa cultivation, the Royal Government of Bhutan is supporting the supply of free quinoa seeds, cultivation technologies and milling machines to the rural communities. To promote the consumption and utilization of quinoa at national level, consumer awareness are created by preparing and serving local Bhutanese dishes from quinoa during local food fairs and farmer's field days. In addition, the Royal Government of Bhutan has included quinoa in the school feeding programme recognizing the high nutrient value of the crop for enhancing and securing the nutritional needs of the young children

Effect of temperature on the growth and development of quinoa plants (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): A review on a global scale

The increase in temperature and constant changes in climate negatively affects the development of the plants, which has resulted in an alarming situation for many of the different crops of agricultural and food interest. In the specific case of quinoa, the investigation points to a significant loss in the productivity of the grain crop indicating differences depending on the altitudes of the areas of agriculture production and the availability of water. A current informed description of the responses regarding phonological development under stressful conditions could help us develop appropriate strategies to improve the conditions for the production of quinoa and allow us to propose cultivation of the product under environmental conditions where other products cannot survive. The main discoveries regarding this study were framed within the effect of caloric stress on the germination of quinoa seeds, their phenology, their response to different evaluated cultivars and their effects on their growth as well as their physiological and productive levels. Thus, the analysis is described based on a review of the available scientific documents available in the Scopus database and doctoral work thesis, allowing for the consolidation of the most recent investigations regarding the quinoa and their relationship with temperature

A holistic approach to enhance the use of neglected and underutilized species: the case of Andean grains in Bolivia and Peru

The IFAD-NUS project, implemented over the course of a decade in two phases, represents the first UN-supported global effort on neglected and underutilized species (NUS). This initiative, deployed and tested a holistic and innovative value chain framework using multi-stakeholder, participatory, inter-disciplinary, pro-poor gender- and nutrition-sensitive approaches. The project has been linking aspects often dealt with separately by R&D, such as genetic diversity, selection, cultivation, harvest, value addition, marketing, and final use, with the goal to contribute to conservation, better incomes, and improved nutrition and strengthened livelihood resilience. The project contributed to the greater conservation of Andean grains and their associated indigenous knowledge, through promoting wider use of their diversity by value chain actors, adoption of best cultivation practices, development of improved varieties, dissemination of high quality seed, and capacity development. Reduced drudgery in harvest and postharvest operations, and increased food safety were achieved through technological innovations. Development of innovative food products and inclusion of Andean grains in school meal programs is projected to have had a positive nutrition outcome for targeted communities. Increased income was recorded for all value chain actors, along with strengthened networking skills and self-reliance in marketing. The holistic approach taken in this study is advocated as an effective strategy to enhance the use of other neglected and underutilized species for conservation and livelihood benefits

Thinking Outside of the Cereal Box: Breeding Underutilized (Pseudo)Cereals for Improved Human Nutrition.

Cereal grains have historically played a critical role in sustaining the caloric needs of the human population. The major cereal crops, wheat, rice, and maize, are widely cultivated and have been subjected to biofortification to enhance the vitamin and mineral nutrient content of grains. In contrast, grains of several other cereals as well as non-grass pseudocereals are naturally rich in micronutrients, but have yet to be explored for broad-scale cultivation and consumption. This mini review focuses on the micronutrient and phytochemical profiles of a few emerging (pseudo)cereals and examines the current constraints of their integration into the global food system. Prospects of leveraging whole genome sequence information and modern breeding technologies to promote the breeding and accessibility of these crops are also discussed

Technological Progress and Productivity in the Quinoa Sector

The main objective of this case study is to analyze the effect that a significant technological innovation in quinoa processing has had on the productivity of companies devoted to this activity and the impact of such an innovation on the growth and organization of the quinoa cluster in Bolivia, and its possible effects on the future. The study will explain how the boost engendered by technological innovation in quinoa processing has triggered a series of events that have allowed the establishment of an ambitious development program. The sector’s main companies and producer associations are part of this program, which is called the “Quinoa Alliance.” The program has become a unique opportunity for agro-industrial development in the Bolivian Altiplano, so far characterized by subsistence agriculture.Quinoa, saponin, unit operation, specific consumption, productivity

Quinoa crop biodiversity in Chile: an ancient plant cultivated with sustainable agricultural practices and producing grains of outstanding and diverse nutritional values

Quinoa crop (Chenopodium quinoa) has been cultivated since the last seven thousand years in Latin America. However the nutritional and functional properties have been diffused only since the last decade. The exportation market to Northern countries is increasing at levels not seen previously for an organic product. Its ancient cultivation practices were normally sustainable even in Chile. However strong isolation of today' small farmers in Chile has provoked less access to international markets and also great genetic distances among cultivars from the long latitudinal and ecological gradient where this crop is cultivated (4000 m.a.s.l. at 19ºS to coastal areas at sea level between 18ºS to 40ºS). The nutritional diversity along this gradient has not been previously studied. This study focuses on the nutritional properties of five distinctive local land races found along Chile, belonging to different genetic pools, but collected from farmers that have not developed formal crop improvement, with the exemption of a single hybrid variety, also included in this study. Results showed that genetic variability of quinoa ecotypes plus the environmental diversity allow an also great nutritional diversity. Protein content had significant lower levels (12%) for northern ecotypes while higher values (16%) were found among the less known southern seed origins, cultivated by Mapuche people. While other properties like Vitamin B2 showed higher values in northern ecotypes, supporting the idea that genetic richness or diversity of quinoa ecotypes hide an also rich nutritional diversity. All the cultivars are managed under sustainable ecological practices, unique possibility among small-scale farmers. (Résumé d'auteur

When Fair Trade increases unfairness: The case of quinoa from Bolivia

Fair Trade movement tackles the question of global justice. It is experiencing growing success. Fair Trade therefore sorts the beneficiaries, usually by means of certification. Numerous impact studies have assessed the beneficial effects of Fair Trade on the intended beneficiaries. Several studies have nevertheless called into question both the impact of certification and Fair trade. Following these studies this paper shows that Fair Trade in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is actually increasing inequalities between Bolivian producers.FairTrade, Inequalities, Quinoa, Bolivia

Betalains in some species of the amaranthaceae family: A review

Natural pigments are largely distributed in the plant kingdom. They belong to diverse groups, with distinct biochemical pathways. Betalains with colours that range from yellow to red-violet can de divided into two main subgroups: betaxanthins and betacyanins. These types of pigments are confined into 13 families of the order Caryophyllales and in some genera of higher fungi (Amanita muscaria, Hygrocybe and Hygrophorus). The Amaranthaceae family includes diverse genera in which betalains are present: Alternanthera, Amaranthus, Beta, Chenopodium, Celosia and Gomphrena. The biosynthesis of betalains and their general biological properties were reviwed in the present work. In addition, the types of betalains present in some species of the aforementioned genera, their stability and production, as well as biological attributes, were reviewed.Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia-FCT; Portugal) [UID/BIA/04325/2013-MeditBio

Elaboration of a spontaneous gluten-free sourdough with a mixture of amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa flours analyzing microbial load, acidity, and pH

Pseudocereals are gluten-free, nutrient-dense raw materials that are being considered for the production of gluten-free products, especially bread. This study proposes a gluten-free sourdough formula based on equal amounts of amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa and with a dough yield of 250, and an elaboration method to obtain ripe sourdough.Postprint (updated version

Quality assessments of untreated and washed quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) seeds based on histlogical and foaming capacity investigations

Quinoa seed has a high nutritional value, but has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins, making it unpalatable. Therefore the seeds are usually processed in order to remove the naturally occurring saponins from the seeds. To investigate the impact of processing, untreated and washed seeds of the white and brown types of quinoa were investigated histologically and by foaming capacity evaluations. Reference samples of known origin and treatment were investigated as well as unknown samples. The results revealed a relationship between the presence of saponin containing papillose cells at the outermost layer of the seed hull in the histological sections and the foaming capacity of the seeds. After washing, the papillose cells were severely damaged or completely removed and virtually no foam formation was observed. This investigation indicatedthat washing resulted in an effective removal of the saponin layer, leading to quality improvement of the seeds intended for human and animal consumption. The same features were observed for the unknown samples. These results imply that the treatment of the investigated samples was based on washing. The determination of the type of treatment applied provided useful information for the correct tax classification for Custom purposes