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Could Quinoa be an alternative crop of wheat in the Mediterranean region:

Case of Morocco? Les notes d'alerte du CIHEAM N°86

Article · October 2012

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 L es not es d’al ert e d u CIH E AM

N °8 6 – Octobre 2012

Could Quinoa be an Alternative Crop of Wheat in the Mediterranean Region:

Case of Morocco?

Abdelaziz Hirich
Department of Horticulture, Complex of Horticulture, Agronomic and veterinary Medicine Hassan II institute, 80150 Ait melloul,
Morocco

Redouane Choukr-Allah
Department of Horticulture, Complex of Horticulture, Agronomic and veterinary Medicine Hassan II institute, 80150 Ait melloul,
Morocco

Sven-Erik Jacobsen
Copenhagen University, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Højbakkegaard Alle´ 13, DK-2630
Taastrup, Denmark

Ouafae Benlhabib
Department of plant biotechnology, Agronomic and veterinary Medicine Hassan II institute, 6202 Rabat-Instituts, Morocco

Overview1

The production of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) could contribute to food security,
and has a great potential to increase food production in the Mediterranean region and in
other parts of the developing world (Jacobsen, 1998; Galwey, 1992; Jacobsen et al.,
2012). Quinoa has been selected as one of the crops to secure food in the 21st century
(FAOSTAT, 2010). The year 2013 has been declared "The International Year of the Quinoa"
(IYQ), recognizing the Andean indigenous peoples, who have maintained, controlled,
protected and preserved quinoa as food for present and future generations (FAO, 2012).
Quinoa is an Andean seed crop well adapted to poor soils and unfavourable climatic
conditions (Geerts et al., 2006; Garcia et al., 2003; González et al., 2009; Bois et al.,
2006; Jacobsen et al., 2003). It has the ability to tolerate high levels of frost (Jacobsen et

1
Sources of the pictures: Hirich, 2012

1
 al., 2007; Bonifacio, 2005), drought (Vacher, 1998;
Jacobsen et al., 2009; Geerts et al., 2009; Jacobsen
et al., 2003) and salinity (Razzaghi et al., 2012;
Adolf et al., 2012; Hariadi et al., 2011; Jacobsen et
al., 2003; Koyro et al., 2008;) The high nutrition
value and protein content quality is one of the
important characteristic of this crop (Ruales and Nair,
1993a,b; Repo-Carrasco et al., 2003). Quinoa seeds
contain the double percentage of proteins than
wheat, furthermore, it is a good source of dietary
fibber and phosphorus and is high
in magnesium and iron (Bhargava et al., 2006).
Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegetarians and those who
are lactose intolerant (Ruales and Nair, 1993a). Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy
to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in
NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied
spaceflights (Schlick and Bubenheim, 1993).

The genetic variability of quinoa is huge, with cultivars of quinoa being adapted to growth
from sea level to 4000 meters above sea level, from 40°S to 2°N latitude, and from cold,
highland climate to subtropical conditions (Winkel et al., 2012; Jacobsen et al., 2012;
Jacobsen, 1998; Pulvento et al., 2010). This makes it possible to select, adapt, and breed
cultivars for a wide range of environmental conditions especially in the Mediterranean
region. In southern Europe, the United States in certain parts of Africa and Asia there is
good potential for increased production of quinoa (Jacobsen, 2003).

Quinoa has been introduced in Morocco for the first time in Khenifra region in 1999 within
the project BAFI/BYU-IAV Hassan II in which 14 lines were tested for adaptation goal
(Benlhabib, 2005). Recently quinoa has been introduced in the Mediterranean region
including Morocco through the EU 7th Framework Program through the project
“Sustainable water use securing food production in dry areas of the Mediterranean region
(SWUP-MED) (http://www.swup-med.dk/). The strategic objective of this project is to
improve food production by introducing climate-proof varieties in crop rotations of wheat,
grain legumes and new crops as quinoa and amaranth (potentially high value food cash
crops), in a rainfed system with supplemental deficit irrigation using marginal-quality
water and harvested rainwater. Also, the development of improved agricultural practices
will support farmers to ameliorate their livelihood and income levels (Jacobsen, 2009).

Cropping conditions of quinoa in Morocco

Quinoa is a crop with short cycle; it can reach

maturity after 90 to 125 days depending on planting
season. It requires short photoperiod and low
temperature for optimal growth. It can be cultivated
even in marginal soil with lower fertility, and grow
well in silt-sandy soils with a soil pH value varies from
4.8 to 8.5. Germination of quinoa can be achieved 24
hours after sowing and seedling establishment can
occur 2 to 5 days after sowing. Seedling tests
applying several priming treatments has been carried
out for quinoa and results showed better responses to
hormonal priming using IAA (Indole Acetic Acid) and
GA3 (Gibberellic Acid 3). Germination and seedling of quinoa responses to saline water has
been investigated and the finding indicates that seedling can be occurred under irrigation
with saline water having an EC value equal to 24 dS m-1 but with a seedling rate does not

2
exceed 10%, however 50% of seedling rate was obtained under saline water with an EC
value equal to 16 dS m-1.
In such conditions as the arid and semi-arid climate of
Morocco, quinoa has to be sowed in October and November
as other autumn cereals in order to receive rain water of
the winter season and also to avoid the high temperature
during flowering stage. Nevertheless quinoa has been
sowed under experimental conditions in several sowing
date as September, October, February and April. Since
quinoa seeds size is very small (1.75 to 2 mm), sowing
depth should not exceed 1 to 2.5 cm according to soil type
and moisture. Spacing between sowing holes can vary from
10 to 40 cm and between cropping lines from 30 to 80 cm according to cultivars. The
sowing dose correspond to those dimensions varies from 0.4 to 0.8 kg ha-1. Water
requirement of quinoa under Morocco conditions is estimated between 200 and 400 mm
according to regions with more irrigation water is needed in the arid conditions of Agadir
region. Quinoa respond well to fertilization, yield obtained under irrigation with treated
wastewater in Agadir region was much more higher than under irrigation with fresh water
due to higher nutrients content of wastewater (1000 m3 can provide 22 kg of Nitrogen, 15
kg of Phosphorus and 19 kg of Potassium).

The harvested part of quinoa is panicles which are similar to

those of sorghum. When the seeds are sufficiently dry,
operators cut the quinoa stalks and beat the quinoa panicle on
the bottom of the plastic bin to free the seed, and then
separate the seed from any other plant debris. The seeds of
most quinoa varieties contain bitter-tasting saponins in the
outer layers of the seed coat (Ruales and Nair, 1993b).
Because of this, quinoa needs to be washed in water several
times to remove the saponins. Quinoa can also be harvested
as a green leafy vegetable when its leaves are young.

Results related to quinoa yield and cropping conditions in

different regions of Morocco are shown in Table 1. There
was a significant variation in yield between all experimental
sites. This difference was mainly related to difference in
genetic performance of line, climate, soils, water quality and
sowing date. Maximal yield of quinoa has been obtained in
the Agadir region under irrigation with treated wastewater
and the lowest yield was obtained under rainfed conditions
in the Rhamna region.

Conclusion

The quinoa has been shown as a rustic plant and well adapted to dry region and can be
cultivated in areas affected by soil or groundwater salinity. Where wheat or other cereals
are not practiced anymore, furthermore quinoa could be irrigated with treated
wastewaters which are generally saline. Nowadays quinoa is less practiced in the
Mediterranean region, moreover a lot of breeding and adaptation researches as well as
improved agricultural practices are needed to support small farmers to ameliorate their
livelihood and income levels.

3
 Productivity of quinoa in Morocco
Table 1: Quinoa yield and cropping conditions of several experimental trails carried out in Morocco

Soil
Region Experimental site Line Yield Irrigation Water quality Sowing date Reference
texture
February
IAV Hassan II S306/2 62 q ha-1 3 times/week Fresh water Sandy Mhada, 2012
2012
Rabat IAV Hassan II Titicaca 15.35 q ha-1 3 times/week Fresh water Sandy April 2011 Filali, 2011
-1 February
IAV Hassan II M13 B 32 q ha 3 times/week Fresh water Sandy Azouz, 2009
2009
Abbadi Mohamed 1 irrigation/15
L142 15.2 q ha-1 Fresh water silt-sandy
Farm days
Rhamna Daif Abdelkader 1 irrigation/15 February
L119 16.28 q ha-1 Fresh water silt-sandy Filali, 2011
(Bouchane) Farm days 2011
Kaine Abdelaziz
L142 9.3 q ha-1 Rainfed Clay-sandy
Farm
Average of
Agicultural Benlhabib,
Khenifra 14 tested 34 q ha-1 Fully irrigated Fresh water Silty-sandy October 1999
Institute Ibn Khlil 2005
lines
Treated February
IAV Hassan II-CHA DO708 74.3 q ha-1 Fully irrigated Silty Hirich,2010
Wastewater 2010
Treated
IAV Hassan II-CHA DO708 61.8 q ha-1 Fully irrigated Silty April 2011 Hirich,2012a
Wastewater
Treated
IAV Hassan II-CHA DO708 57.2 q ha-1 Fully irrigated Silty October 2011 Hirich, 2012b
Wastewater
Agadir
IAV Hassan II-CHA
DO708 32.5 q ha-1 Fully irrigated Fresh water Sandy Marsh 2012 Hirich, 2012 c
(in pots)
Treated
IAV Hassan II-CHA QM1113 69.2 q ha-1 Fully irrigated Silty July 2010 Ba, 2011
Wastewater
Treated El youssfi,
Drarga 589 55.36 q ha-1 Fully irrigated silty clay April 2009
Wastewater 2009

4
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7
 Le CIHEAM a été créé, à l’initiative conjointe de l’OCDE et du Conseil de l’Europe, le 21 mai
1962.

C’est une organisation intergouvernementale qui réunit aujourd’hui treize Etats membres du
bassin méditerranéen (Albanie, Algérie, Egypte, Espagne, France, Grèce, Italie, Liban, Malte,
Maroc, Portugal, Tunisie et Turquie).

Le CIHEAM se structure autour d’un secrétariat général situé à Paris et de quatre Instituts
agronomiques méditerranéens (Bari, Chania, Montpellier et Saragosse).

Avec au cœur de son activité trois missions fondamentales (formation, recherche,

coopération), le CIHEAM s’est progressivement imposé comme une référence dans ses
domaines d’activité : l’agriculture, l’alimentation et le développement des territoires ruraux
en Méditerranée.

A propos de l’Observatoire du CIHEAM

L’Observatoire méditerranéen du CIHEAM est un instrument d’analyse et de débat sur

l’agriculture, le monde rural et l’alimentation en Méditerranée.

www.ciheam.org

Les propos tenus dans cette note engagent la responsabilité

des auteurs, et en aucun cas celle du CIHEAM.

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