First adaptation of quinoa in the Bhutanese mountain agriculture systems

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219804
• Publication Date: 2020-01-16T13:32:48Z
• Authors: Tirtha Bdr Katwal; Didier Bazile
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; F08 - Systèmes et modes de culture; Cropping; agroécologie; [SDV.SA.AGRO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Agronomy; petite exploitation agricole; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_27639; Crop; F30 - Génétique et amélioration des plantes; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_316; Food Supply; Agricultural and Biological Sciences; Subsistence agriculture; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_36669; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3225; Chenopodium quinoa; Bhutan; 2. Zero hunger; Ecology; Geography; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_10967; Altitude; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_13716; Q; R; Temperature; Life Sciences; Agriculture; Forestry; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; adaptation physiologique; agroécosystème; Adaptation, Physiological; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_92381; sécurité alimentaire; Archaeology; Physical Sciences; Dryland farming; Medicine; P01 - Conservation de la nature et ressources foncières; Seasons; génotype; altitude; Research Article; Crops, Agricultural; Sustainable Diets and Environmental Impact; agriculture familiale; Genotype; Science; Nutritional and Functional Potential of Ancient Grains; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1422957329186; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_897; Environmental science; 03 medical and health sciences; Humans; E50 - Sociologie rurale; Crop yield; Agroforestry; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12676; Biology; montagne; quinoa; Food security; 15. Life on land; Agronomy; Temperate climate; FOS: Biological sciences; Quinoa; Environmental Science; Growing season; 0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; Agroecology; http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7113; Food Science; Cropping system

AbstractBhutan represents typical mountain agriculture farming systems with unique challenges. The topography, agriculture production systems and environmental constraints are typical of small-scale agricultural subsistence systems related to family farming in the Himalayan Mountains with very low level of mechanization, numerous abiotic stresses influenced by climate and other socio-economic constraints. Quinoa was first introduced in 2015 through FAO’s support to Bhutan as a new crop with the objectives to adapt this versatile crop to the local mountain agriculture conditions as a climate resilient crop for diversifying the farmer’s traditional potato, maize, and based cropping systems, and to enhance the food and nutritional security of the Bhutanese people.Ten quinoa varieties were evaluated at two different sites representing contrasted mountain agro-ecologies in Bhutan and were tested during the two agricultural campaigns 2016 and 2017. Yusipang (2600 m asl) represents the cool temperate agroecological zone, and Lingmethang (640 m asl) the dry subtropical agroecological zone.The sowing time differed depending on the growing season and elevation of the sites. Results indicate that quinoa can be successfully grown in Bhutan for the two different agro-ecological zones. The grain yields varied from 0.61 to 2.68 t ha−1in the high altitude areas where quinoa was seeded in spring and harvested in autumn season. The grain yield in the lower elevation ranged from 1.59 to 2.98 t ha−1where the crop was sown in autumn and harvested in winter season. Depending on genotypes’ characteristics, agro-ecology and elevation of the sites and variety; crop maturity significantly varied from 92 to 197 days with all genotypes maturing much earlier in the lower elevations where mean minimum and maximum temperatures during the growing season were higher. Quinoa is rapidly promoted across different agro-ecological contexts in the country as a new climate resilient and nutrient dense pseudo cereal to diversify the traditional existing cropping system with some necessary adjustments in sowing time, suitable varieties and crop management practices. To fast track the rapid promotion of this new crop, four varieties have also been released in 2018. In just over three years, the cultivation of quinoa as a new cereal has been demonstrated and partially adapted to the maize-potato traditional cropping systems under the Himalayan mountain agriculture environment. Quinoa is also being adapted to the rice based cropping system and rapidly promoted as an alternative food security crop in the current 12thFive Year national development plan of Bhutan.