EVALUATION OF THE ADAPTABILITY AND ADOPTION OF QUINOA (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) AS A NEW CROP IN DIFFERENT AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF RWANDA AND THE ANALYSIS OF G x E EFFECT ON NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF VARIOUS QUINOA VARIETIES

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a nutritionally valuable crop with various applications in food production and consumption. Its drought tolerance makes it an essential supplementary crop to maize, which is the predominant crop in Rwanda. To explore quinoa's potential and gather information on the agronomic performance of different quinoa genotypes within Rwandan production systems, thirty quinoa accessions were planted in the mother trial, and seven quinoa accessions were planted in the baby trial. The primary research is presented in chapters two and three, described below. In Chapter Two, we discuss the agronomic traits of thirty-one quinoa accessions, focusing on grain yield, emergence, days to flowering, maturity, and plant height. The research was conducted using a mother-baby experimental design, fostering meaningful dialogue between farmers and researchers. The study aimed to identify quinoa genotypes with high agronomic performance across various environments and to collaborate with quinoa farmers to identify priority traits for variety selection and development. This innovative approach yielded promising results, leading to the official release of three new quinoa varieties: Shisha, Gikungu, and Cougar. Quinoa’s physical appearance and dual-purpose benefits--edible leaves and grain--have facilitated its adoption among farmers. We recommend further research to continue assessing regional adaptability and to evaluate a range of quinoa performances across various environments nationwide. In Chapter Three, we discuss the nutritional quality of thirty-one quinoa accessions, focusing on measuring protein content, content of nine essential amino acids, and mineral concentration, including calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). The aim of the study was to identify quinoa genotypes with high levels of protein, amino acids, and minerals. The results indicated that the mean values of essential amino acids met the daily requirements for both infants and adults, except for lysine in infants and leucine, sulfur amino acid, as well as aromatic amino acid across all age groups. These findings underscore the significant nutritional potential of quinoa and highlight the urgent need for higher-quality data on its mineral composition. Furthermore, all tested varieties from both trials meet the recommended average daily iron intake. Several significant correlations were found between various minerals and other nutritional components. These insights enable us to leverage quinoa to enhance health and nutrition in Rwanda and beyond. Its nutritional value has the potential to reduce chronic malnutrition and child stunting and can significantly contribute to the socioeconomic development of Rwanda, especially given its ability to withstand harsh climatic conditions. We recommend further research to identify the limiting amino acids, understand the factors that influence their content, and explore ways to increase their levels to meet the minimum requirements established by the World Health Organization across all age groups.