Mineral content of seed from quinoa varieties in Amaicha del Valle (Tucumàn- Argentina)

PRADO, FERNANDO E.; FERNANDEZ-TURIEL, J.L; BRUNO, MARCELA; VALOY, MARIANA; ROSA, MARIANA; GONZALEZ, JUAN A.

Tucumàn

Jornada; Jornadas Científicas de la Asociación de biología de Tucumán; 2009

The aim of this work was to evaluate the seed mineral content of 10 quinoa varieties from the Bolivian highland region (Patacamaya, 3,750 m asl) growing in Encalilla (Amaicha del Valle, 2,000 m asl). Potassium is the element found in highest proportion with an average of 9.80 g/KgDW, CICA being the variety with the highest content (12.6 g/KgDW) and Kamiri the one with the lowest (8.62 g/KgDW). The second more important element is phosphorus, with average value of 2.67 g/KgDW, Kancolla being the variety with the highest content (4.53 g/KgDW). Interestingly, calcium content (708 mg/KgDW) was higher than in other cereals such as rice, wheat, and maize. Consequently, quinoa would be an ideal substitute for calcium supply. Ferrous content is also high (78.9 mg/KgDW), it being twice as high as that in rice (2.8 mg/KgDW). In conclusion, the reintroduction of quinoa crops in the Argentinean Northwest would be quite promising in terms of minerals provision for the inhabitants of the region, whose staple diet consist onlyof rice and wheat.