What are the key points to note when growing quinoa? Keep these points in mind

Quinoa is a plant of the genus Chenopodium in the Amaranthaceae family. It is a traditional staple food of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas; the plant resembles lamb's quarters (goosefoot), and after maturity the seed head resembles a sorghum panicle. Its seeds are edible and highly nutritious. Below, we introduce the key points to note when growing quinoa.

1. Site selection

Quinoa originated in the mid- to high-altitude mountain regions of the Andes in South America, including Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Its growing range covers plateaus from about sea level to around 4500 m in elevation, with the optimum elevation being plateau or mountain areas at 3000-4000 m. You can choose plots with higher terrain, ample sunlight, good ventilation and relatively good fertility for planting. Note that quinoa is not suitable for continuous cropping and should not be grown in succession on the same land.

2. Land preparation

In early spring, when the soil has just thawed, apply sufficient base fertilizer. Generally, apply 1000-2000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and 20-30 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer per mu (667 sq m/mu). If the soil is relatively poor, the amount of compound fertilizer applied can be appropriately increased. Before sowing, harrow and level the soil promptly after each rainfall to achieve a loose surface and firm subsoil. In dry conditions, only harrow without plowing, and carry out compaction.

3. Sowing

Sowing is generally done in mid-May when the temperature is 15-20°C. A seed drill can be used, or a precision seeder for millet can also be used for sowing. The row spacing is about 50 cm, the plant spacing is 15-25 cm, and the sowing depth is 1-2 cm. After emergence, check the seedlings promptly. If missed sowings and gaps are found, reseed promptly, or transplant seedlings to fill the gaps. When the seedlings reach 10 cm and have grown 5-6 leaves, thin them, following the principle of keeping the large and removing the small, maintaining a plant spacing of 15-25 cm.

4. Field management

(1) Cultivation: Carry this out together with thinning. Shallow hoeing and fine hoeing should be used, breaking up clods and firming the seedlings in place, keeping the depth uniform and the ground free of weeds, and preventing damage to or burying of seedlings. If heavy rain falls after cultivation, break up the surface crust when the topsoil has dried slightly after the rain.

(2) Weeding: When quinoa grows to more than 50 cm, it needs to be weeded 1-2 times. At the 8-leaf stage of quinoa, pull out the weeds, diseased plants and residual plants between the rows to improve uniformity and increase ventilation and light penetration.

(3) Topdressing: If symptoms of fertilizer deficiency are found in the mid-to-late growth period, appropriate topdressing can be applied. Generally, when the plants grow to 40-50 cm, broadcast 10 kg of NPK compound fertilizer per mu. In the late growth period of quinoa, spraying phosphate fertilizer and trace element fertilizers on the leaves can promote flowering, seed setting and grain filling.

(4) Watering: Quinoa has a certain drought tolerance and is mainly grown as a dryland crop. If severe drought occurs, water promptly.