Detailed Explanation of Key Points for High-Yield Quinoa Cultivation Techniques
Quinoa is one of humanity's precious biodiversity food resources, native to South America, the only complete-protein grain in the plant kingdom, the only single plant that can meet humans' basic nutritional needs, its high market price and extremely demanding requirements for soil, climate, water and fertilizer conditions, hailed as the super grain and Inca gold, let's take a look at high-yield quinoa cultivation techniques below!
Growing Conditions
Quinoa's growing conditions include soil, soil pH, climate, water, rainfall, temperature, radiation and altitude, etc. Its suitable temperature is 15-20°C, maximum temperature not exceeding 32°C, altitude above 1500 m, soil pH 5.5-8.5, soil moisture at least equivalent to 3/4 of field capacity to promote seed germination.
Planting Preparation
Purchasing quinoa production materials includes seeds, compound fertilizer, seeders, etc. Rotary till the land one week before planting, not too deep, preferably use a roller. Apply 40 kg/mu of fertilizer, farmyard manure is best, compound fertilizer (N:P:K 15% each). However, do not use a wooden drill for sowing, because it is difficult to control uniform depth.
Timely Sowing
Quinoa's sowing time is early May to late May, choosing to sow during a period with about 30 mm of rainfall is beneficial for seed emergence, mix 400 g of quinoa per mu with 1.4 jin of roasted millet. Use a small two-row coarse grain seeder, adjust sowing depth and sowing rate before sowing, sowing depth 1-2 cm, row spacing 50 cm, plant spacing 30 cm.
Seedling Management
Quinoa germinates about 3 days after sowing, emerges in 5 days, if it has not emerged in 10 days, replant promptly. During the emergence stage, pay attention to underground pests, if the previous crop was potato, guard against wild boars. When quinoa seedlings grow to 15-20 cm after about 30-40 days of sowing, begin hoeing weeds.
Field Management
Quinoa requires manual hoeing, herbicides must not be used, the first hoeing is combined with thinning to ensure plant spacing, plant spacing 20-30 cm, keep a single seedling, row spacing 45-50 cm. During the second hoeing, earth up around the roots to promote root growth and prevent lodging later. Apply 40 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, in principle no topdressing, but topdressing can be considered when soil fertility is too poor. When irrigation conditions exist and the soil is dry, irrigate once during the 40-70 day period.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvest when quinoa has grown for 100-130 days, when mature the seeds become hard and cannot be pinched with a fingernail. Before harvesting prepare plastic sheeting (for covering in bad harvest weather, and for laying on the ground during threshing and drying), in mountainous areas it is best to harvest with a sickle, harvest on sunny days. If the weather is clear after harvesting, bundles can be tied into small sheaves to dehydrate, after threshing dry promptly to avoid fermentation and spoilage. After drying, winnow away impurities from the quinoa, pack it well and sell.