Worldwide evaluations of quinoa: preliminary results from post International Year of Quinoa FAO projects in nine countries

Chenopodium quinoa Willd, a high quality grain crop, is resistant to abiotic stresses (drought, cold, and salt) and offers an optimal source of protein. Quinoa represents a symbol of crop genetic diversity across the Andean region. In recent years, this crop has undergone a major expansion outside its countries of origin. The activities carried out within the framework of the International Year of Quinoa provided a great contribution to raise awareness on the multiple benefits of quinoa as well as to its wider cultivation at the global level. FAO is actively involved in promoting and evaluating the cultivation of quinoa in 26 countries outside the Andean region with the aim to strengthen food and nutrition security. The main goal of this research is to evaluate the adaptability of selected quinoa genotypes under different environments outside the Andean region. This paper presents the preliminary results from nine countries. Field evaluations were conducted during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 in Asia (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), and the Near East and North African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Mauritania, and Yemen). In each country, the trials were carried out in different locations that globally represent the diversity of 19 agrarian systems under different agro-ecological conditions. Twenty-one genotypes of quinoa were tested using the same experimental protocol in all locations consisting in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Some genotypes showed higher yields and the Q18 and Q12 landraces displayed greater adaptation than others to new environmental conditions. The Q21 and Q26 landraces were evaluated with stable and satisfactory levels of yield (>1 t.ha−1) in each of the different trial sites. This production stability is of considerable importance especially under climate change uncertainty. While these results suggest that this Andean crop is able to grow in many different environments, social, and cultural considerations remain crucial regarding its possible introduction as a staple food in new cropping systems around the world

Quinoa Phenotyping Methodologies: An International Consensus

Quinoa is a crop originating in the Andes but grown more widely and with the genetic potential for significant further expansion. Due to the phenotypic plasticity of quinoa, varieties need to be assessed across years and multiple locations. To improve comparability among field trials across the globe and to facilitate collaborations, components of the trials need to be kept consistent, including the type and methods of data collected. Here, an internationally open-access framework for phenotyping a wide range of quinoa features is proposed to facilitate the systematic agronomic, physiological and genetic characterization of quinoa for crop adaptation and improvement. Mature plant phenotyping is a central aspect of this paper, including detailed descriptions and the provision of phenotyping cards to facilitate consistency in data collection. High-throughput methods for multi-temporal phenotyping based on remote sensing technologies are described. Tools for higher throughput post-harvest phenotyping of seeds are presented. A guideline for approaching quinoa field trials including the collection of environmental data and designing layouts with statistical robustness is suggested. To move towards developing resources for quinoa in line with major cereal crops, a database was created. The Quinoa Germinate Platform will serve as a central repository of data for quinoa researchers globally

Phenotypic and quality traits of chickpea genotypes under rainfed conditions in south Italy

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important cool-season food legume crop that is mainly cultivated as a rainfed crop. This study was conducted in Italy between 2017 and 2019 to evaluate the stability of seed yield (SY), biomass (AGB) and 1000 seed weight (THS), and to assess the seed quality of 12 kabuli chickpea accessions under field conditions. The likelihood-ratio test revealed significant effects of genotype only for the SY and THS. The environment and genotype × environment interaction (GEI) effects were highly significant for all variables. We found that the environment (year) and GEI explain 55.72% and 20.87% of the total seed yield variation, respectively. Most chickpea accessions showed sensitivity to frost conditions in the third growing season. No relationship was observed between the yield and the protein content in Kabuli chickpea. Among the acces-sions, Ares and Reale showed the best performance under all environmental conditions, and the Reale was the most stable chickpea

Agronomic practices and performances of quinoa under field conditions: A systematic review

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is one of the most popular emerging food crops in the Andean region. It is tolerant to environmental stresses and characterized by interesting nutritional traits. Thus, it has the potential to contribute to food and nutrition security in marginal environments. In this study, we conducted a systematic review integrated with a bibliometric analysis of cropping practices of quinoa under field conditions. The analysis is based on published data from the literature relating to the period 2000-2020. A total of 33 publications were identified, revealing that scientific research on the agronomic practices and performances of quinoa under field conditions is still limited. Africa, Asia, and Europe were the leading research production sites in this field and together provided over 81% of the total scientific production. There were no papers from the Australian continent. The number of papers screened dealing with tillage and weed control management was very limited. The keyword co-occurrence network analyses revealed that the main topics addressed in the scientific literature related to the effect of “variety” and “deficit irrigation”, followed by “water quality”, “fertilization”, and “sowing date” on seed yield. Results from this study will permit us to identify knowledge gaps and limited collaboration among authors and institutions from different countries. Salinity, sowing density, and sowing date were the agronomic interventions affecting productive response the most

Selection of suitable genotypes of lentil (Lens culinarismedik.) under rainfed conditions in south italy usingmulti-trait stability index (mtsi)

Abstract: Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a popular legume crop in the Mediterranean region, widely grown for its nutritious seeds and improving soil fertility. Lentil yield is a critical and challenging trait for crop genetic improvement because it is influenced by various factors that have detrimental effects on seed yields and seed quality traits. This research was carried out in Italy between 2017 and 2019 to identify high-performing stable genotypes presenting multiple desirable traits and to assess the seed quality of 13 lentil accessions in the field. According to the results of the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), (1) only three accessions (Altamura, Easton, and Caltagirone) fared better in various environmental conditions, and (2) the selected accessions had strength toward seed yield (SY), above-ground biomass (AGB), and 1000-seed weight (THS). The genotype X environment interaction (GEI) effects were highly significant for all traits. During the third growing season, most lentil accessions were sensitive to frost. There was no correlation between lentil seed yield and protein concentration. The MTSI is a useful tool for breeders interested in selecting accessions based on their mean performance and stability, as well as desirable traits and minimum multicollinearity issues

Yield and quality of Amaranthus hypochondriacus grain amaranth under drought and salinity at various phenological stages in southern Italy

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is tolerant to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Irrigation applied only during sensitive growth stages can stabilize yield and improve water use efficiency. Given the increasing frequency of salinity and drought stress in European countries and the scarcity of information on grain amaranth responses to combined salt and drought stress, an open field trial was carried out in Italy in order to evaluate the response of one accession of Amaranthus hypochondriacus to various irrigation strategies. RESULTS: Grain amaranth yield components were not negatively affected either by different irrigation volumes or by irrigation time. Some differences in seed yield were caused by water quality; salinity significantly reduced seed yield. The combined effect of irrigation time and irrigation volume significantly influenced seed yield. The quality of amaranth seeds was preserved; no significant differences due to simple or combined stresses were found during the three-year field experiment. CONCLUSIONS: The overall results from this study suggest that A. hypochondriacus can be cultivated in a more sustainable way compared to other protein crops, thus reducing water use and using saline water. It could be introduced to marginal European environments where traditional crops cannot be cultivated. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry

Effects of deficit irrigation using saline water on 'chenopodium quinoa willd.' Grown in a mediterranean environment

Chenopodium quinoa Willd. is an Andean species that shows a good adaptability to different environmental conditions. A field trial was carried out in 2009 at the CNR-ISAFoM research station to evaluate the response of quinoa under combined stresses of salinity and water shortage. Three irrigation treatments were compared 100, 50, and 25% of the water necessary to replenish to field capacity the soil layer explored by roots. Each treatment was irrigated with saline (ECw 20 dS m-1) and nonsaline water. Standing up to the high expectations, quinoa confirmed the resistance to salinity and water deficit and yield was not significantly different for both water and saline. Similar results were found also for plant water status parameters. © ISHS

Field phenotyping and quality traits of grass pea genotypes in South Italy

BACKGROUND: Grass pea (Laithyrus sativus L.) is a rustic plant whose seeds are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, and it has been consumed as food by human beings since ancient times. This study was conducted in Italy between 2017and 2019 to evaluate, under field conditions, the stability of seed yield, biomass and 1000-seed weight (THS) and to assess the antioxidant composition and activity of 11 grass pea accessions. RESULTS: Analysis of variance revealed significant effects of the environment, accession and accession × environment (A × E) on the yield, above-ground biomass and THS. We found that the environment (year) and A × E explained 52.61% and 23.76% of the total seed yield variation, respectively. No relationship was observed between the yield and the total protein of seeds. Most grass pea accessions showed sensitivity to frost conditions that occurred in the third growing season. The total phenolic content ranged from 50.51 to 112.78 mg 100 g−1 seeds and antioxidant activity ranged from 0.576 to 0.898 mmol Trolox equivalents 100 g−1 seeds and from 0.91 to 1.6 mmol Fe2+ 100 g−1 seeds in 2,20-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and ferric-reducing antioxidant power, respectively. Among the accessions, the ‘Campi Flegrei’ and ‘di Castelcività’ showed the best performance with the highest yield and stability, phenolic content and superior antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the yield of grass pea was mainly influenced by different climate conditions. This variability in yield, phenolic content and antioxidant activity among different accessions could help breeders and farmers select high-performance accessions for cultivation. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry

Assessing Amaranth Adaptability in a Mediterranean Area of South Italy under Different Climatic Scenarios

The aim of the present work was to study the adaptability of amaranth in a typical Mediterranean environment of South Italy under changing climate scenarios. In a first stage, experimental data from a field trial conducted during 2009-2010 on the Volturno River Plain (Italy) with grain amaranth grown under different irrigation strategies, were used to define the thermal requirements and the yield response function to soil water availability of amaranth. The observed soil moisture data were used to calculate the relative soil water deficit (RSWD) index and seed yield data were expressed as relative yield (Yr). Yr and RSWD calculated data were then graphically correlated to obtain the amaranth yield response function to soil water availability. In a second stage the SALTMED model was used to simulate impacts of present, past and future climate scenarios on amaranth growth cycle and yield. Climate-change scenarios (Special Report on Emission Scenarios A1B, A2 and B1) data, used as input in the model, were derived from six global circulation models using a weather generator. The results showed that in a changing climate, temperature affects the relative duration of the growth cycle and could be a critical determinant of grain yield. The use of supplemental irrigations could allow the amaranth to guarantee a high seed yield under Mediterranean conditions

Parameterization and Field Validation of Saltmed Model for Grain Amaranth Tested in South Italy

Grain amaranth is an underutilized Andean crop characterized by interesting agronomic and qualitative traits and could represent an important food source in areas with salinity and drought problems like the Mediterranean region. Knowledge of crop growth parameters allows us to parameterize simulation models that are useful tools to study the adaptability of a crop to different environmental and management conditions. In this study, the SALTMED model has been parameterized, calibrated and evaluated for grain amaranth under Mediterranean conditions, with data from a field trial conducted during 2009-2010 in South Italy. The model evaluation was made using seed yield, dry matter and soil moisture data of amaranth irrigated with saline and fresh water. The simulation results showed a high degree of precision of SALTMED in the simulation of the hydrological processes at different soil depths, crop yield and dry matter under different agricultural practices. SALTMED can be used as a useful tool to optimize grain amaranth production in the Mediterranean region