Plant growth and physiological quality of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) seeds grown in Southern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) an annual grain crop belonging to the Amaranthacea family is the only vegetable food that contains all essential amino acids, micronutrients and vitamins. The study aimed to evaluate the performance, growth and seed physiological quality of two genotypes of quinoa in Southern Rio Grande do Sul region. The cultivar BRS Piabiru and one breeding line were grown at green house. The design was completely randomized with four replications and five harvest times during the vegetative stage of the crop. The variables were shoot length, number of leaves, leaf area index, dry matter of aerial parts, dry matter of root and total dry matter of plant. It was concluded that the line and BRS Piabiru have slow initial growth in the first 30 days and strong growth up to 120 days. The breeding line and commercial cultivar showed the same potential for seed production in the temperate climate of this region.