SOUTH East growers may eventually have another high-value cropping option – quinoa.
Next month the first SA field trial from the national quinoa project will be harvested at Bool Lagoon.
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation is funding the three-year project led by the WA Department of Agriculture and Food, with in-kind support from participating states.
Researchers in SA, NT, NSW and WA hope to find new varieties and an agronomic package for their regions to encourage more widespread adoption among broadacre farmers.
In the past decade demand for quinoa has increased among the health conscious, especially those with gluten intolerance.
Despite this, there is still only isolated production in Tas and WA.
The seed, which is mainly consumed as an alternative to rice or cous cous, is high in protein, calcium and iron and is a relatively good source of Vitamin E and several of the B vitamins.
It may be a long way from its native South America, but the Bool Lagoon trials are showing promise in a similar Mediterranean climate.
The irrigated crop – which generally takes 100 days from sowing to harvest – is looking healthy across the trials, with large seed heads at the end of stalks standing up to 1.5 metres high.
SARDI senior research officer Amanda Pearce says the first year of the SA trial has focused on agronomics, such as weed control, sowing dates and sowing rates.
Two elite lines from DAFWA’s Kununurra research facility were specially selected.
The first sowing was late September followed by early October, late October and mid-November.
Ms Pearce said there had been good establishment and growth, especially in October-sown plots.
“The first time of sowing, the soil was almost dry as we had some issues with the pivot but sowing times two and three seem to be better,” she said.
“It might also be the lower soil temperature too.”
The recommended sowing rate is similar to that of canola, with rates of one kilogram a hectare, 2kg/ha, 3kg/ha, 6kg/ha and 9kg/ha being evaluated.
“As there are no registered herbicides for quinoa, it is important to gain a strong plant stand to provide competition to germinated weeds,” Ms Pearce said.
“Quinoa is a new crop to the region so there are a lot of unknowns and this is preliminary work.”
A major challenge has been insect control. As the plant matures it has become attractive to Rutherglen bug and Mirids and the SARDI team is spraying as required.
Later this year SARDI hopes to undertake a rain-fed trial at Frances, with five specially-selected lines.
