Seed Quality and Protein Classification of Some Quinoa Varieties

Abstract

Quinoa plants, originating from the Andean mountains in South America, have a large scale of biological diversity. Along with the cultivation favorableness of quinoa, it reveals superior nutrition aspects. In comparison with cereal crops, like rice, maize, and wheat, quinoa seeds contain valuable quantities of protein of remarkable quality. The current study compared four quinoa cultivars from different origins in terms of protein composition and germinability. In addition, this study focused on the effect of different geographical cultivation areas on the protein composition of wild Egyptian quinoa seeds and three other cultivars that vary in their cultivation origins. Significant differences were observed among the quinoa varieties in the germination percentage (GP), shoot length (SL), and root length (RL). Using the technology of Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy, the highest protein value was recorded for the American variety (18.39%), followed by the Wild Egyptian variety (17.16%). The aromatic phenylalanine recorded the highest concentration of the essential amino acid bulk. The Rainbow variety contained 12.7 g-aa/kg protein, followed by the wild Egyptian variety with 4.9 g-aa/kg protein. In turn, glutamic was the most abundant amino acid of the non-essential amino acids, with 10.1, 4, 23.4, and 4 (g-aa/kg protein) for quinoa varieties, Wild Egyptian, American, Rainbow, Black, respectively. SDS-PAGE was used to identify the allelic variations in the seed storage protein profiles among the studied quinoa varieties. The studied quinoa varieties showed 23.81% of the polymorphism in the protein bands, with the mean band frequency of 0.881. The resulting protein bands fluctuated in the range between 115.02 and 16 kDa. With a similarity percentage (90%), Wild Egyptian and the Rainbow quinoa varieties can be classified in one clade.

Current trends and prospects in quinoa research: An approach for strategic knowledge areas

“…Research focused on gene expression and regulation includes hybridization (Hodková & Mandák, 2018), phylogenetic (Li et al, 2022), and proteomic studies in relation to edaphoclimatic factors where cultivars are grown (Zhao et al, 2022). The main objective of genic expression studies has been to find the relationship between the agri-environmental offer and the genetic variability associated with the greater production of seeds with high contents of vegetable proteins (El-Hakim et al, 2022) and high-value biocomposites (Campos-Rodriguez et al, 2022). This is consistent with what was reported by and García-Parra, Zurita-Silva, et al (2020), who indicated that the environmental temperature plays an important role in the phenological phases prior to the development of the seed, influencing productive and compositional aspects.…”

Light interception and radiation use efficiency in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

“…In recent years, the cultivation of plants such as quinoa and amaranth has received increased attention due to the high nutritional value of these species (Abd El‐Hakim et al., 2022). Quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)…”

The Impact of Greenhouse and Field Growth Conditions on Chenopodium quinoa Willd Accessions’ Response to Salt Stress: A Comparative Approach

“…Quinoa, a significant pseudo-cereal, is renowned for its ability to withstand environmental stress and its high nutritional content, making it a widely advocated cultivar for human consumption and nutrition [5]. Native to South America's Andean mountains, quinoa exhibits a wide range of biological diversity, as highlighted by Abd El-Hakim et al [6]. Notably, quinoa is considered a complete food with attractive nutritional value, boasting a high level of high-quality protein that surpasses rice and wheat [7].…”