Managing Quinoa to Optimize Soil Health and Nutrition
Quinoa has gained popularity in recent years for its adaptability to a wide range of growing regions, stress tolerance, and unique nutritional composition. Despite a long history of cultivation in South America, it is a relatively new crop to the PNW. Through our research at the NWREC, and in collaboration with quinoa growers in Western Washington, we aim to understand how organic nutrient amendments, soil health status, and saponins (a bitter plant-derived chemical coating the outside of quinoa seeds) affect quinoa nutritional profiles. Our findings will help develop nutrient management guidelines and a roadmap for quinoa growers looking to improve their soils’ health and the nutritional quality of the quinoa they grow. We are partnering with quinoa breeders, food scientists, and gut microbiome specialists on this work, which is funded by a FFAR Seeding Solutions grant led by Dr. Kevin Murphy.
