Tackling Limitations for quinoa cultivation in the UK

Abstract

Quinoa, an Andean plant, originated near Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia. It was cultivated and consumed by pre-Hispanic societies but replaced by cereals when the Spanish arrived. Quinoa is an Andean crop known for its high nutritional value and resilience to challenging environmental conditions such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. Crop diversification involves growing a variety of crops and genotypes on a farm, which can offer multiple benefits for agricultural sustainability and ecological balance. Farmers can reduce monoculture risks and enhance land productivity. By providing different nutrient requirements and root structures, crop diversification enhances soil health, reduces erosion, and promotes biodiversity. This experiment aims to evaluate the performance of the quinoa pre-breeding lines (Holtville) in comparison to quinoa lines well adapted to growing in northern Europe (Titicaca and Vikinga) and quinoa lines adapted to growing in the Dubai. The higher harvest index and yield per plant observed in Vikinga indicates that it may be a superior genotype for quinoa cultivation in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, Dubai Q1 could also be a valuable genotype for commercial cultivation in the United Kingdom, as higher biomass production can lead to higher yields and overall productivity. However further studies are required to confirm these findings as a higher standard mean was found.