The Introduction and Adaptability of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) to Coastal Regions in Northern Peru to Meet Food Demand as Introduced Specie

Abstract

En un mundo donde la población está aumentando, la tierra disponible está disminuyendo y la escasez de alimentos se está convirtiendo en un problema crítico en todo el mundo, será necesario explotar nuevos ecosistemas con cultivos extranjeros para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria. La quinua surge como el alimento perfecto para hacer frente a la demanda de alimentos. Dado que la quinua es originaria de las tierras altas, donde no hay suficiente tierra para el cultivo, se está introduciendo como especie foránea a nuevos ecosistemas. Uno de estos nuevos ecosistemas es la zona costera norte del Perú, donde las empresas buscan posibilidades para incrementar la producción de quinua. Al ser una especie introducida, es importante su adaptabilidad, así como el efecto sobre las especies locales. Se probaron tres variedades (Altiplano, Salcedo y Arequipeña) con dos tratamientos de fertilización diferentes correspondientes a tratamientos nutricionales tradicionales y nuevos para evaluar adaptabilidad a través de biometría y rendimiento. La quinua tiene un enorme potencial para introducirse en nuevos entornos, ya que se adapta incluso a entornos hostiles, por lo que es un cultivo importante para hacer frente al aumento de la población y podría ser la clave para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria.

In a world where population is increasing, available land is decreasing and food shortage is becoming a critical issue worldwide, new ecosystems will need to be exploited with foreign crop in order to ensure food security. Quinoa arises as the perfect food in order to deal with the demand for food. Since quinoa is originally from the highlands, where there is not enough land for the crop, it is being introduced as foreign specie to new ecosystems. One of these new ecosystems is the northern coastal area of Peru, where companies are looking for possibilities to increase quinoa production. Having it as an introduced species, its adaptability is important, as well as the effect on local species. Three varieties were tested (Altiplano, Salcedo and Arequipeña) with two different fertilisation treatments corresponding to traditional and new nutritional treatments in order to assess adaptability through biometrics and yield. Qualitative assay of species affected by the introduction of quinoa was also reported. All three varieties produced grain, being the Altiplano and Salcedo variety the most productive with 905 kg/ha and 691 kg/ha respectively. All varieties adapted well as they all reached height of more than 115 cm, yet the Salcedo and Altiplano had longer panicles than the Arequipeña variety. Furthermore, the quinoa was affected by pests like E.melanocampta, which had an increased on its impact zone by being found in this region of Peru. Quinoa had an effect on the local ecosystem shown by the presence of local species feeding and sheltering within the crop. Quinoa has a huge potential to be introduced in new environments as it adapts to even the hostile environments, thus being an important crop to cope with increasing population growth and could be the key to ensure food security.