Prospects for Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa Willd.) Improvement Through Biotechnology

Abstract

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd., 2n = 4x = 36) is an Andean broadleaf seed and vegetable crop of ancient origin. Quinoa represents one or two botanical varieties of a much broader tri-species complex native to North and South America and dominated by weedy forms of pitseed goosefoot (C. berlandieri Moq.) and avian goosefoot (C. hircinum Schrad.). This biological species complex includes at least two extant domesticated forms of C. berlandieri subsp. nuttaliae (Safford) H.D. Wilson and Heister: Mexican huazontle and chia roja. Within quinoa itself the two main limitations to the crop’s improvement and dissemination are restricted access to cultivated Highland Andean germplasm and heat-stress susceptibility in the best agronomic types from the southern Altiplano. These limitations underscore the importance of the exotic gene pool for future quinoa breeding. A sophisticated tool box of DNA-based genetic markers and genomic resources has been developed to facilitate gene transfer from exotic sources in pre-breeding and accelerate the process of breeding elite cultivars. In addition, quinoa physiology and agronomy research have identified promising strategies and potential gene targets for improving yield, heat tolerance, maturity, and other traits critical to the expansion of quinoa into temperate and subtropical lowland production environments. The existing political climate in key areas of the Andean region, while unfavorable for the application of transgenic breeding approaches, should encourage accelerated efforts to incorporate MAS strategies in quinoa breeding.