Chenopodium quinoa. A member of the Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot) family.

Varieties include Cahuil (cuyu), Faro (Farro; light-green foliage, yellow seeds), Linares No. 407 (mostly green, some purple leaves, white-yellow seeds), Milahue, Temuco (yellow-green or a few golden heads, white seeds), D407 (early maturing, semidwarf growth habit, yellow compact heads, medium-small kernels), and Isleuga.

Quinoa (pronounced Keen'-wah or Kwin-o'-uh) belongs to a genus of mostly weedy annuals. The plant can reach a height of 5 feet, however, among varieties heights range from 42 to 72 inches. Leaves are triangular ovate, angular-toothed, or pinnatifid. The plant has thick tops and seed color ranging from black, red, orange, yellow, and white. The seed coat color is caused by a coat of saponin, which has industrial uses but may be toxic. The grain must be processed to remove this coat, leaving it a white color. Quinoa seeds, similar to millet seeds, are F(1,16) inch and have two flat surfaces.

Marketing. Obtain a contract with a marketing group before beginning production. In 1987, retail price averaged $3 a pound. In 1986, the domestic yield was 50,000 pounds, 1 percent of the overall domestic grain market for that year. Most of this was grown in Colorado for the purpose of plant development. Quinoa Corp. of Boulder Colorado, the main marketer of quinoa, saw an increase in 1985 to 1986 from 3,000 pounds to 20,000 pounds a month.

Current production and yield. Quinoa is a native American crop cultivated for centuries in the high Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. It was a staple food of the Incans, who held it sacred and ate the seed and the spinach-like leaves. Primary production occurs in Chile and Peru. Recent interest in the crop is due to its versatility, growth requirements, and the nutritive value of its protein. Average grain yields made in Chile range from 3215 lb/A to 63 lb/A for the months of September through November. In its highest production, quinoa's yield equals that of wheat in the area. The Faro variety performs well in Oregon, while the Milahue variety is well-suited to California valleys. The Temuco variety grows well in Washington, California, and New Mexico. The variety Isleuga, a native of Chile, successfully grows in the United States. Several varieties have been grown in the Rocky Mountains, the interior Northwest, and the northern Pacific coast. In Colorado experimental fields, researchers obtained yields of 1200 lb/A for two years.

Use. South Americans use the cultivated species, C. quinoa, as a grain crops. Andean peasants use quinoa as a flour for tortillas and porridge. The related species, C. nutalliae, is a vegetable in Mexico. Quinoa's taste has been compared to corn, squash, and couscous. It cooks like rice ( 4 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa), but in half the time. Quinoa expands 3 to 5 times its original volume to yield 10 to 12 servings per pound. To toast quinoa, sauté in a frying pan for 10 minutes and then boil in a double quantity of water 10 to 15 minutes. Quinoa can also be curried, served as a sidedish or a meat substitute, and added to salads, soups, breakfast porridges, and puddings. Quinoa flour can be used in cookies, pastries and cakes, but is unsuitable for yeast breads. Quinoa is composed of 10 to 15% protein, 4.5% fat, 63% carbohydrates, 4.1% fiber, 12.6%water, and 3.4% ash. Quinoa is rich in unsaturated oils and is a source of calcium and iron, and essential amino acids.

Climatic requirements. A light frost (30 to 32°F) should not harm quinoa. When the grain is at the soft dough stage, plants can withstand temperatures as low as 20°F, however, temperatures over 95°F cause the vegetative plant to become dormant or lead to pollen sterility.

Propagation and care. Fruiting takes place under short day length. September is the best time for sowing in Chile and Peru. In Colorado, it has been grown in elevations of 7,000 to 10,000 feet. In the Sacramento Valley, the time of sowing should correspond to that of safflower-- mid-February through April. Distances between rows of 1.25 to 2.5 ft allow for good production. As the distance between plants increases, they produce more panicles to compensate for the smaller number of plants per A. Plant at a depth of F(1,2) to 1 inch with consideration to soil type and moisture. The type of soil preparation used, from intensive to minimum tillage, does not significantly affect yields. The vigor of the quinoa plant, however, decreases with the minimum tillage systems. Quinoa seeds germinate within 24 hours. Emergence occurs in 3 to 5 days. Optimum density is 130,000 plants per acre (F(1,2) to F(3,4) pound per acre). Over-irrigation causes severe stunting in seedlings. In Colorado, maturity occurs from 90 to 125 days. Plots that are thinned to 4 plants per foot on the row during the season yield 25% more than those grown without thinning. In Colorado, quinoa planted in late April to mid-May may not need irrigation until mid-June, if the soil profile was near field capacity at planting. Colorado Extension trials show that July rainfall is sufficient to carry the crop to August. In California, irrigation is required as the crop grows primarily during California's dry season.

Harvest and postharvest practices. Studies in Chile show that plots harvested with self-propelled combine and cutter bar/thresher machinery yield 20.1% and 9.5%, respectively, of those harvested by hand. These yields are lower than those of quinoa crops manually cut. Windrowing and combining are not recommended for obtaining high yields. Hand cutting the plants and laying them on paper to catch the seeds during drying is very effective. As a result of low harvest efficiency and the small amount of seed required for planting, there will be a severe problem with volunteers coming up the next season.

Pest and weed problems. In the spring, quinoa grows slowly for the first two weeks. The best period for weed control is 50 days after seeding. After this time, the crop's yield decreases with each day of delayed control. Insect pests include flea beetles and many caterpillars. In Colorado, insect pests on quinoa include: seedling feeding insects-- Melanotrichus coagulatus (mirid), Nysius raphanus Howard (false chinch bug); foilar feeding insects-- Spodoptera exigua (beet armyworm), Loxostege stricticalis (beet webworm), Snygrapha falcifera (celery looper), Trichoplusia ni (cabbage looper), Monoxia nr. pallida Blake (chrysomelid leafminer), Pegomyia hyoscyami (spinach leafminer), Hayhurstia atriplicis ("boat gall aphid"), Atomoscelis modestus and M. coagulatus (mirid); stalk and petiole tunneling species-- pyralid stalk borer, Cosmobaris americana Casey (weevil); root feeding species-- Pemphigus populivenae Fitch (sugarbeet root aphid), Thaumatomyia glabra (chloropid predator); seed feeding species-- Frankliniella occidentalis (western flower thrips), Thrips tabaci (onion thrips), Orius tristicolor, M. coagulatus, A. modestus, Lygus spp., Heliothis zea (corn earworm).

Powdery mildew causes purple blotching of the leaves.

Abundant Life Seed Foundation, P.O. Box 772, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Hudson Seedsman, P.O. Box 1058, Redwood City, CA 94064.

Living Tree Centre, P.O. Box 797, Bolinas, CA 94924.

Peace Seeds, 2385 SE Thompson Street, Corvallis, OR 97333.

Richters, Box 26, Goodwood, Ontario, LOC 1AO, Canada.

Seeds Blüm, Idaho City Stage, Boise, ID 83706.

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Cranshaw, Whiteney S., Boris C. Kondratieff, and Tianrong Qian. "Insects Associated with Quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa, in Colorado." Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. Kansas Entomological Society. Lawrence, KS. 63(1). 1990, pp. 195-199.

Etchevers B., Jorge, and Patricia Avila T. "Efecto De La Fecha De Siembra, Distancia Entre Surcos Y Ecotipos Sombre Dl Rendimiento Y Comportamiento De Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) En Chillan (Effect of date of planting, distance between rows and ecotypes on yield and behavior of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) in Chillan)." Ciencia E Investigacion Agraria. Universidad Catolica de Chile, Escuela de Agronomia. Santiago. Jan/Apr 1981 v. 8(1) pp. 19-26.

Johnson, Duane L., and Robert L. Croissant. Quinoa production in Colorado. Colorado State University Cooperative Extension leaflet no. 112. 1985. 2pp.

Lamenca, Mario Blasco. "Composicion de la quinua cultivada en el Altiplano de Puno, Perú." Turrialba. Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias Agricolas. San Jose, Costa Rica. July/Sept. 1979 v. 29(3) pp. 219-21.

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Marcus, Adrianne. "Grain of the Incas." San Francisco Chronicle. September 3, 1986.

National Academy of Sciences. Lost Crops of the Incas. National Academy Press. Washington, D.C. 1989.

Nelson, David C. "Taxonomy and origins of Chenopodium quinoa and Chenopodium nuttalliae." Indiana University. 1968. 5 pp.

Peréz, Guido Calderón, Mario Blasco Lamenca, and Jesús Barboza. "Epocas de Siembra y deshierbo para el cultivo dela quinua en condiciones del Altiplano de Puno, Perú." Turrialba. Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias Agricolas. San Jose, Costa Rica. Apr/June 1980 v. 30(2) pp. 220- 23.

Valiente G., Rafael, Jorge Etchevers B., and Edmundo Hetz H. "Effect of seed bed preparation, and seeding and harvesting methods on yield, in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd)." Agricultura Tecnica. Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Santiago, Chile. July/Sept 1981 v. 41(3) pp. 121-26.

Voynick, Stephen M. "An Ancient Grain Comes Up in the World." Harrowsmith. Vermont. Jan/Feb 1987. p. 125.

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Winburne, John N. A Dictionary of Agricultural and Allied Terminology. Michigan State University Press. Michigan. 1962.

Compiled by Tonya Nelson, Small Farm Center, UC Davis.

Reviewed by Harry Agamalian 89

Reviewed by Arthur McCain, 8/2/90.

Reviewed by Dan Cohen, 8/90.

Reviewed by Tom Kearney 8/29/90.

11/16/91