Effect of the Altitude Gradient on the Physiological Performance of Quinoa in the Central Region of Colombia

Abstract

The conditions of the agroecological environment play a fundamental role in the physiological performance of quinoa; however, due to the accelerated expansion of quinoa cultivation and the great diversity of cultivars present in the world, it has not been possible to study the effect that their interaction can have, which brings with it problems in productivity and even in the adaptability of cultivars. The aim of this research was to evaluate the physiological performance of seven quinoa cultivars under three altitude gradients in the central region of Colombia (cold, temperate and warm climates). The research was developed using a completely randomized design with a 3 × 7 factorial arrangement where the first factor corresponded to the study areas and the second factor to the selected cultivars. The results showed a highly differential performance between the phenological, physiological and compositional variables, mainly between the quinoa cultivars planted in cold climates and those established in temperate and warm climates. In this sense, the time elapsed between the phenophases, the physiological activity associated with the chlorophyll content and the quantum efficiency of photosystem II, as well as the grain yield and its protein content, are highly influenced by the cultivar and the altitudinal gradient. The results obtained support the notion that the physiological performance of quinoa depends largely on the edaphoclimatic environment by influencing different agronomic and compositional parameters of the seeds. Additionally, it was possible to identify that the evaluated quinoa cultivars were grouped into two large groups. The first group is made up mainly of the Nueva and Soracá cultivars, while the second group includes the Nariño and Puno cultivars. These four cultivars show a lower effect of the factors and their interaction on the parameters evaluated.

Nutritional and Functional Properties of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Chimborazo Ecotype: Insights into Chemical Composition

“…There are also numerous studies, with various quinoa cultivars, in which protein contents have been found to be in the medium and low ranges, or even lower than those found in our work, for the Chimborazo ecotype. Thus, in a study conducted in the central region of Colombia, the physiological performance of seven quinoa cultivars was evaluated at three altitude gradients (cold, temperate, and warm climates), and protein values ranged from 12% to 17% [22]. In contrast to our results, these studies observed that the reduction in the altitudinal gradient had a positive association with the protein content in the grain (p < 0.001).…”

“…The protein content in quinoa grains depends not only on the variety, but also on cultural practices and geographical factors, such as chemical composition of the soil, climate, or water availability [22,23]. These factors can interact in complex ways, making it challenging to identify the exact cause of variations in the protein content of quinoa ecotype Chimborazo.…”

“…In addition, some ecotypes may have higher levels of minerals such as iron or zinc compared to other varieties. The study by García-Parra et al highlights the influence of altitude on different aspects of quinoa grain production [22]. According to their findings, both altitude and variety acted as important factors that impacted the grains' protein content, with the highest values at 2648 m.a.s.l.…”

Preliminary study of physicochemical, thermal, rheological, and interfacial properties of quinoa oil

“… 7 In most cultivars, the endosperm is rich in fats and proteins, components that are stored in the lipid and protein bodies. 8 While, the perisperm contains uniform cells filled with starch granules. 9 These granules are present as individual entities or as spherical aggregates.…”

Physical and culinary analysis of long gluten-free extruded pasta based on high protein quinoa flour

“…Some authors have reported the existence of more than 16,000 varieties of quinoa accessions around the world, showing the structural attributes and antioxidant capacities of six quinoa cultivars with high productive potential in the central regions of Colombia (García-Parra et al, 2020, 2021. On the other hand, edaphoclimatic conditions have a differential effect on quinoa cultivars, which can alter quinoa production, modifying the compositional characteristics of its seeds (García-Parra et al, 2022). Consequently, several publications have been made in relation to the physicochemical properties and behavior of the components of quinoa, including the quantification of moisture, lipids, and protein of raw materials for the validation of high protein flour (Muñoz-Pabon et al, 2022).…”