Do you know the steps of organic quinoa production in Peru? If your answer is no, you are in the right place. Aspagro gives you the steps you need to know to produce it.

Over the years customer demand for organic products has increased. Therefore, preference has been given to these products, so certain criteria should be considered for the production of quinoa.

That is why ASPAGRO gives you to know how its quinoa production process is currently.

FIRST STAGE: PLANTING ORGANIC QUINOA

Selection and levelling of the soil for the planting of organic quinoa

STEP 1: Good location of the land

An important factor to consider is having land not exposed to climatic risks (frosts, hailstorms, too long droughts, excessive weeds). They must be vacant or rested, and have access roads, for the preparation with machinery. Otherwise use Yunta or ground preparation will be done using shovels, zapapicos and peaks.

STEP 2: Proper slope of the terrain

The terrain with too much slope located in slopes, generates erosion problems and the washing of seeds and fertilizers, in the presence of rains. To do this, a good path should be made for example grooves with contours, etc. The same happens with flat soils, with the embedding of water that will generate drowning quinoa crop. In these cases the ground should be fluffed and leveled well, during the preparation of ground. using shovels, zapapicos and peaks.

STEP 3: Soil Conditions (pH, texture)

For the cultivation of quinoa is recommended soils with a pH ranging from 6.5 to 7.5, slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soils. This is because quinoa cultivation is very susceptible to soil acidity. Therefore, they should be sandy loamy texture, deep soils and rich in organic matter.

Preparation of the soil for planting organic quinoa

STEP 1: Incorporation of organic matter

The application of decomposed organic matter or that has gone through a composting process should be done together with the preparation of soils. In such a way that it can decompose and be available for cultivation, it must be tested and nutrient deficiency found. It will also facilitate moisture retention and improve soil structure by forming spheroidal structures. In addition, it will facilitate soil aeration and promote the development of microbial flora that will allow early humification.

STEP 2: Joint disc plow

Using the plow of discs with a depth of 30 cm (topsoil), try to remove all the ground. If there is no machinery or the land is inaccessible, use a team with a plow for the removal of the land.

STEP 3: Leveled

Try to level the ground to be able to run a good planting.

STEP 4: Grooved

Use a groover with a groove depth of 10 to 12 cm using the distance indicated. In case of not having a groover, use a team with a plow for opening grooves, this activity is carried out on the day of sowing.

Fertilization of the organic quinoa crop

STEP 1: Soil analysis

Soil analysis is used to identify the quality of the soil to be sown, the nutrient content and to verify if there are deficiencies to be able to supplement.

STEP 2: Filling source

It is recommended to use island guano as a feed source only at the recommended doses:

STEP 3: Applying the Crediting

Apply the guano previously brought to the field where quinoa will be sown in a continuous line, once the grooves are opened. Then proceed with capping with a branch.

STEP 4: Incorporation of decomposed manure

There are experiences on the incorporation of decomposed manure into the soil for the production of organic quinoa. The effect on these soils is expressed with improved texture, availability of nutrients and most importantly contributes to soil moisture retention, which facilitates the normal development of the crop.

Planting of organic quinoa

STEP 1: Choosing the seed

The seed to be used in sowing must be of own organic origin or purchased from organic producers and must have the approval of the internal inspector. When selecting quinoa, this must be a seed acclimated to the area and corresponding to the recommended variety.

STEP 2: Sow at the right time

This will be determined by the location of the land, either in high or low area, in addition to the humidity conditions of the given area.

STEP 3: Suitable terrain

This is a very important factor to consider, since the seed of quinoa needs moisture to germinate, so if planted in dry soils there is a risk of burning and that it has not germinated.

STEP 4: Amount of seeds

For the sowing of quinoa it is recommended to use 10 kilograms of seed per hectare, using the continuous line planting method, casting the seed to the bottom of the groove or to the ribs of the groove.

STEP 5: Cover the seeds

The seed of quinoa once sown will be covered with soil, with a thickness of 1 to 3 centimeters, using a branch. It should not be buried deeper than the recommended amount as it can generate problems in germination.

STEP 6: Distance from seeds

The distance used in quinoa planting is 80 to 90 centimeters between grooves, in order to make possible the labor of the aporque.

SECOND STAGE: THINNING AND WEEDING OF ORGANIC QUINOA

Weeding of organic quinoa

STEP 1: Remove weeds

The weeds between the quinoa plants in the row or groove are removed manually when performing the qallcce.

STEP 2: Weeding

It is recommended to make two weeds during the quinoa vegetative cycle, one when the seedlings have a size of 15 cm or when they have passed 30 days after the emergency, and the second before flowering or 90 days after sowing.

Thinning of organic quinoa

STEP 1: Plants per linear meter

Thinning allows to eliminate smaller plants from bad conditions to avoid excess plants. Therefore it is recommended to leave only 10 to 12 plants per linear meter, and it is done when the plants are 10 to 20 cm tall.

STEP 2: Remove plants

Remove plants that are not in good condition and that do not correspond to the variety. The remaining plants will have better conditions for their development.

STAGE THREE: ORGANIC QUINOA

Aporque of organic quinoa

STEP 1: Aeration

The aporque allows a better aeration of the roots of the crop, because through it, all the weeds are removed when extracting its roots.

STEP 2: Reinforcement

With the aporque it reinforces the plant against the acame, it hits easily when the sowing is inside the groove.

STEP 3: Increased performance

It is released to the crop when there is waterlogging within the groove, and increases yield.

STEP 4: Manual docking

The aporque is done manually with picotas or mechanized using aporcadoras when the terrain is flat and there is no excess of rain. It allows to give greater fixation to the plants and to control the weeds between the furrows and to aerate the roots of the plants.

FOURTH STAGE: CONTROL OF PESTS AND DISEASES OF ORGANIC QUINOA

Control of pests and diseases of organic quinoa

STEP 1: Crop rotation

Crop rotation is a requirement within organic production, it is recommended to perform the following rotation: Haba, quinoa, tarwi, quinoa, wheat, oats, etc., having other alternatives according to the production area.

STEP 2: Early Flip

The early turning of the ground (June, August) is another practice that serves to control pests by exposing the larvae and pupae of pests to the sun, it is also a practice to control weeds, By removing the soil we allow weeds to come out and be turned over when the soil is prepared for sowing.

STEP 3: Good Ground Preparation

For sowing it is recommended to remove the ground with disc plowing being the depth of the plow 30 to 40 cm, so that there is a good root development, it is advisable to spend a few days of sowing as an agricultural practice to eliminate weeds that begin to emerge from the soil.

STEP 4: Leveling Terrain

For sowing the soil should be left well leveled to avoid puddles, presence of lumps and also facilitates cultural work (qallcce, aporque).

STEP 5: Orientation and path tracing

The furrows should be short and should not have much slope to avoid washing the seed and nutrients.

STEP 6: High and closed pitches

With this practice it is possible to avoid the embedding of water at the level of the neck of the plant, this prevents the proliferation of diseases, as well as covering the weeds that are inside the groove, when there is too much rain facilitates the water to run through the grooves.

STEP 7: Use of organic and quality seeds

The seed at sowing must have varietal purity with which it is guaranteed that there will be no variability of the product at the time of harvest, it is recommended to sow the variety requested by the market, It is also necessary to consider the origin of the seed if it must be organic, if it is to be purchased it must be an organic product.

STEP 8: Organic bottoming

It is recommended to make a good fertilization in sowing, with this practice will have stronger plants and resistant to climatic factors, if you are going to use guano poultry should be decomposed.

STEP 9: Using color traps

It is a practice that allows the control of pests, it is recommended the use of yellow plastics, which are placed between furrows evenly distributed in the field for the control of lepidoptera.

STEP 10: Biological control

With this practice is achieved the protection of beneficial insects, which will control crop pests.

STEP 11: Using damping barriers

In organic production it is recommended to separate organic cultivation from conventional crops for which the use of living barriers (trees, shrubs, etc.) or natural barriers (rivers, roads, ditches, etc.) is recommended.

STEP 12: Do not use agrochemicals and synthetic fertilizers

In organic production the use of agrochemicals and synthetic fertilizers is prohibited, the purchase of any input must be authorized by the internal control committee after approval by the certifier.

STEP 13: Do not burn stubble

This practice is not allowed in organic production, which is recommended the incorporation of stubble to the soil in the preparation of soil, or use stubble in the preparation of compost.

FIFTH STAGE: HARVESTING OF ORGANIC QUINOA

Harvesting of organic quinoa

STEP 1: Panicle cutting

To properly handle the process, the slit is made by leaving it evenly to one side.

STEP 2: Stocking up

It is made to achieve greater uniformity in the ripening of the grain and the oreado of the panicles to facilitate the threshing (shelling) and to avoid that the rains or hailstones spoil the panicles, that is why we proceed to cover the parvas with plastics or blankets.

Quinoa should be cut in the early hours of the morning, to avoid the fall of the grain, also place the cut quinoa in the camel groove, and leave it for 3 days, as long as there is no rain, finally, perform the flip every 24 hours in the morning.

STEP 3: Hackneyed

Move the quinoa over a new blanket that must be laid on a clean and level ground, pile up to a height of 1 meter and proceed to the threshing with tractor or other mobility.

Take into account that before threshing you should clean and wash the wheels or otherwise cover with a plastic to not soil quinoa, it is important to remember that you should not walk on quinoa with dirty shoes and neither allow any kind of animals during the harvest.

STEP 4: Bagging 

Place bags under the tube of the machinery and collect as many grains of quinoa as possible, when covering the maximum capacity of the sack, use another and continue with the action.