Abstracto
- Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) stands out for its high nutritional value and agroecological adaptability, positioning it as a strategic crop in specialized markets. In Colombia, establishing crops in high Andean regions requires identifying improved genotypes with high yield potential and grain quality. The objective of this study was to agronomically characterize 14 improved sweet quinoa families, including the San Jorge family, and three commercial checks (Aurora, Blanca de Jericó, and Tunkahuan) under the agroecological conditions of Silvia (Cauca, Colombia), using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Eleven morpho-agronomic variables were evaluated, and statistical analyses of ANOVA, Duncan’s test (P<0.05), principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis, and selection index were applied. The results revealed high variability among the genotypes. The highest yield per hectare and per plant was recorded for the genotype F56 (6623.1 kg ha-1and 30.33 g), followed by the genotype FSJ. F25 stood out for the highest thousand-seed weight (3.13 g), and F38 for the largest grain diameter (2.38 mm). Aurora exhibited the most significant plant height (132.4 cm) and panicle length (53.9 cm), while F56 and F37 had the highest panicle diameter (68.79 mm) and stem diameter (16.5 mm). PCA explained 65.21% of the total variability, highlighting F56, FSJ, Aurora, and Blanca de Jericó as the genotypes with the most significant contribution. The most influential variables were plant height, yield, and thousand-seed weight. Cluster analysis grouped the 17 genotypes into three clusters: Group 1 (Aurora and Blanca de Jericó) characterized by robust architecture; Group 2 (Tunkahuan), with intermediate traits; and Group 3 (the remaining improved genotypes), which exhibited high productive efficiency and grain quality. Finally, the selection index effectively identified superior genotypes, positioning F56 and FSJ as promising candidates for future breeding and agronomic validation programs in high-altitude Andean zones. © 2025, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. All rights reserved.
