Descriptors for quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) and wild relatives

Descriptors for quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and its wild relatives, is a revision of the original IBPGR (now Bioversity International) publication titled ‘Descriptores de quinua’ (AGP:IBPGR/81/104). This revision, expanded to accommodate wild relatives, is the result of a joint collaboration effort involving Bioversity International, FAO, PROINPA, INIAF and IFAD. During the review process, more than 50 quinoa scientists from 11 countries and different organizations provided their expert advice.

The updating process of the descriptors for quinoa has been funded by the Proyecto Semillas Andinas de la FAO (GCP/RLA/183/SPA) that runs with funds from the Cooperación Española.

This work aims to enhance the use and conservation of plant genetic resources and is expected will contribute to studies focusing on the analysis of genetic diversity, germplasm management, definition of new varieties and useful traits for crop improvement.

The scientific overview of this document was provided by Wilfredo Rojas (Fundación PROINPA) and Stefano Padulosi (Bioversity International). The technical advice and coordination of the whole development process by A. Alercia (Bioversity International).

This descriptor list is intended to be comprehensive for the descriptors it contains. This approach assists with the standardization of descriptor definitions. Bioversity does not, however, assume that curators will characterize accessions of their collection using all descriptors given. Descriptors should be used when they are useful to curators for the management and maintenance of the collection or to the users of plant genetic resources, or both. To this end, highly discriminating descriptors are listed at the beginning of the Characterization section and are highlighted in the text to facilitate selection of descriptors In Annex I, the reader will find a ‘Collecting form for quinoa’ that will facilitate data collection.