Randomized field trial evaluates multi-trait selection in advanced quinoa lines, indicating high seed yield can be achieved alongside early maturity under highland conditions.
Key Points
To evaluate advanced F10 quinoa lines, parental varieties, and commercial controls to identify genotypes that combine high seed yield with early maturity under Peruvian highland conditions.
Evaluated 9 advanced F10 lines, 5 parental varieties, and 2 commercial controls (N=16 genotypes) across 4 replicates in a randomized complete block design during the 2019–2020 season in Puno, Peru.
Applied linear mixed-effects models to estimate BLUEs, BLUPs, and Cullis broad-sense heritability, alongside correlation, principal component, and weight-free Elston selection index analyses.
Significant genotypic variation (P < 0.05) was identified across traits, with high broad-sense heritability for thousand-kernel weight (H² = 0.98) and days to physiological maturity (H² = 0.88), and moderate heritability for seed yield per plant (H² = 0.68).
Correlation and principal component analyses showed partial independence between yield and phenological/architectural traits, demonstrating that yield can improve without extending vegetative growth duration.
The Elston selection index identified Salcedo INIA × Pandela Rosada 171 as the optimal multi-trait genotype, followed by SAL × Negra Collana 30 and SAL × COL 37.
Cite This Study
Romero-Ucharico et al. (2026) studied this question.