Quinoa. Atul Bhargava

       Preface

      The term ‘green revolution’ was coined in the 1960s after improved varieties of wheat dramatically increased yields in test plots in northwest Mexico. The green revolution, attributed to Norman Borlaug, an American scientist, ushered in an era of agricultural surpluses in many areas of the world. The subsistence agriculture practised in many regions was replaced by intensive agriculture, which required farm mechanization and increased inputs in the form of labour, high-yielding varieties, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Many countries that had imported food grains before the green revolution became exporters of these commodities. The green revolution forever changed the way agriculture was conducted worldwide, benefiting the people of many countries in need of increased food production.

      However, the failure of the green revolution in several areas and the negative impacts associated with it have forced mankind to look for alternatives. The accelerated inputs have resulted in intolerable pressure on fragile agroecosystems. The situation is compounded by a shrinking portfolio of species and an emphasis on a handful of major crops that have narrowed the number of species on which global food security depends. The consequences of crop failures from unforeseen stresses, pests and diseases are potentially catastrophic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to broaden the species portfolio for agriculture and food security. The need of today is a gradual shift from input-intensive to environmentally sound sustainable agriculture. This requires a shift in focus towards increasing production by using agriculturally marginal lands. Underutilized crops can be the answer to this burning problem.

      Underutilized crops are those that were formerly widely grown and consumed but that have fallen, or are falling, into disuse. Many underutilized species are extremely important for food production in various parts of the world. They are well adapted to marginal lands, have a role in traditional medicine and constitute an important part of the local diet, providing valuable nutritional elements often lacking in staple crops. Underutilized crops also represent an important source of revenue for local economies and are part of the rich cultural and traditional heritage of communities around the world. These crops are also important sources of resistance genes for biotic and abiotic stress breeding that can also be used for the genetic improvement of commonly used crops. Quinoa is one such underutilized crop that has recently gained attention for its ability to cope with different environmental stresses and its potential for helping to solve the widespread problem of malnourishment.

      Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), an important crop of the Andean region of South America, is being grown in a wide range of environments in South America, North America, Europe and Asia. Quinoa is an important food source for human consumption, is well adapted to extreme environmental conditions and has potential industrial applications. The plant is nutritionally important because its seeds have a high protein content and an abundance of essential amino acids, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and natural antioxidants. This crop has recently attracted worldwide attention due to its ability to produce high-protein grains under ecologically extreme conditions, making it an important crop for the diversification of future agricultural systems in different parts of the world. The increasing demand for quinoa and insufficient supply from quinoa-producing countries of South America necessitated the introduction of the crop to newer areas. Experiments in Europe, Asia and Africa have confirmed that the crop can be successfully cultivated there. At present, quinoa is grown commercially throughout the western regions of South America, including Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru for domestic markets and emerging export markets in Japan, Australia, Europe and North America. With the emerging quinoa market, the consumer trend towards quinoa is expected to keep increasing, with international support from both political and industry organizations in Europe and Asia. Quinoa has the potential to shed its underutilized status and become an important industrial and food crop of the 21st century. Quinoa has been selected by the FAO as one of the crops destined to offer food security in the 21st century.

      This book is the first comprehensive work on quinoa aimed at researchers throughout the world who are working on this crop. The purpose of the book is to provide an introduction to the concept and applications of quinoa. The book is divided into four sections spread over 14 chapters. Part I introduces the readers to the crop, its history and distribution. Part II discusses the taxonomical position, based on morphological, cytological and molecular data. Part III is dedicated to agrotechnology and includes chapters on botany, crop production and management, pathology and breeding approaches. Part IV sheds light on the nutritional significance of the crop, and also contains detailed discussion of the antinutritional components.

      The book has detailed chapters that have been written in an easy-to-read, succinct format and that incorporate information from in-depth study of classical work as well as recent research. The book presents the novelty and complexity of the topics in a lucid, methodical way, taking care to keep the level of discussion simple and free from technical jargon. The chapters are straightforward, and contain figures to provide clarity. The authors have tried to present complex and updated information in a manner that familiarizes the reader with the important concepts and tools of recent researches on the crop.

      This detailed reference work traces the crop from its origin to the present day, and incorporates up-to-date information about this underutilized crop. The book will help to stimulate interest in the crop among academics and researchers, both novices and experts, and among those who are increasingly focused on exploiting this underutilized crop.