Sustainable intensification of quinoa production in peri-urban environments in western Washington state utilizing transplant vs. direct-seed methods

Summary

This field experiment, conducted on two farms on Washington state's Olympic Peninsula in 2016, compared transplant and direct-seed establishment methods for three quinoa varieties planted at early, mid, and late dates. Transplanted quinoa demonstrated significantly higher survival rates, faster maturation, and higher seed yields than direct-seeded crops, though transplants exhibited greater lodging; later planting dates reduced lodging and improved yields in transplanted quinoa. The findings suggest transplant methodology offers a viable production improvement for urban and peri-urban growers already equipped with transplant techniques.

UK applicability

Whilst quinoa is not a traditional UK crop, these findings may be relevant to UK horticulturists and urban farmers exploring quinoa cultivation in protected or favourable microclimates. The transplant methodology's advantage in weed control and earlier planting could benefit UK peri-urban producers, though the Olympic Peninsula's maritime climate differs substantially from most UK regions, and variety selection and lodging management would require local adaptation.

Key measures

Plant survival rates, developmental stage progression, plant height and branching morphology, lodging rates, seed yields, and performance across planting date treatments

Outcomes reported

The study compared survival rates, developmental progression, plant morphology, lodging incidence, and seed yields between transplanted and direct-seeded quinoa across three varieties and multiple planting dates. It assessed the viability of transplant methodology as an improved production method for urban and peri-urban quinoa growers.

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