Phenotyping of Colombian quinoa cultivars by seed morphobiometry

Abstract Quinoa cultivation is notable for the nutritional value of its grain and its ability to adapt to diverse environmental conditions. However, morphobiometric and seed quality studies on quinoa are scarce, especially regarding Colombian germplasm. In this context, the objective of this research was to determine the phenotype of 21 quinoa cultivars from the Boyacá department based on 11 seed morphobiometric parameters. In addition, characteristics such as seed color, shape, and edge were evaluated. The seeds of the cultivars mainly exhibited a cylindrical shape (77%), with a smooth edge being the most common (66%). The most frequent seed colors were white and beige. The 11 seed morphobiometric parameters showed a wide range of variation, and it was established that the most discriminative parameters for differentiating the cultivars were yield, total projected area, shape coefficient, weight of 100 seeds, and seed diameter. Finally, it was concluded that with these parameters, it is possible to select cultivars to initiate quinoa breeding programs.