Overview

Quinoa Grains:

Quinoa is a nutritious crop that has been cultivated for thousands of years in South American countries, owing to its ability to withstand drought and salt, among its capacity to grow in poor soil with mini­mum inputs. Quinoa is a summer annual belonging to the family Amaranthaceae, which also includes the popular table vegetables spinach and amaranth. Quinoa grain is gluten-free, rich in protein and contains all essential amino acids, important minerals and vitamins that one needs. Nutrient-rich quinoa grain is eaten worldwide as a health food, sometimes referred to as a superfood. The United States is the world's largest consumer and importer of quinoa grains. In 2020, U.S. imported about 35,000 tons, with 90% from Peru and Bolivia. A small amount is produced in U.S. Northwestern states; however, no production resides in the Midwest.

Quinoa Greens:

Like quinoa grains, quinoa greens (quinoa green leaves, sprouts, and microgreens) are rich in nutritional value and health promoting properties such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antioxidant, and cardio-beneficial. Quinoa greens are gluten-free and provide an excellent source of protein, amino acids, essential minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. However, consumption of quinoa greens, as vegetables, are less common. Quinoa greens represent a promising value-added vegetable that could resolve malnutrition problems and contribute to food and nutritional security. The greens can be grown year-round (in fields, high tunnels, and/or greenhouses) and have short growth durations. Taste survey participants believe the taste, texture and flavor of quinoa greens were equal to or better than spinach. Popular methods of cooking green leaves consist of stir-frying, sautéing, steaming, and eating sprouts and microgreens as salad greens. Adding nutrient-rich quinoa leafy greens as a value-added specialty vegetable in American food chains will benefit under-representative and socially disadvantaged groups, such as minority and limited-resourced farmers as well as consumers.

Our Purpose/Mission:

• Evaluation of promising quinoa lines and selection of most suitable lines in the Midwest
• Production and promotion of quinoa grains as a nutrient-rich value added climate-smart commodity, as a drought, salinity and cold-tolerant crop
• Production, promotion, and marketing of quinoa greens as nutrient-rich value added specialty vegetable with short growth duration, requiring less water and fertilizer to grow
• Assessment of nutritional, bioactive components and human health benefits of green leaves of quinoa
• Promoting quinoa as a dual-purpose crop for grains and greens production

 

Dr. Tunsisa Hurisso: Assistant Professor of Soil Science, Cooperative Research—College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences at Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO. Research areas: Assessment and development of physical, chemical, and biological indicators of soil health to quantify the impact of agricultural management ecosystems.

 

Dr. Clement Akotsen-Mensah: Assistant Professor of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Director of Small Farm Research Program, Cooperative Extension—College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences at Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO. Research areas: IPM and Extension.

 

Dr. Frieda Eivazi: Professor of Soil Science, Cooperative Research—Department of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences at Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO. Research areas: Soil fertility, nutrient management, efficient use of fertilizers, soil enzymology, pesticide biodegradation.

 

Dr. Abua Ikem: Department Head and Professor of Chemistry—College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences at Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO. Research areas: Nutritional and mineral analysis of food, along with contaminants in drinking, surface and ground waters related to human health. 

 

Sarah Eber: Human Nutrition and Health Program Coordinator, Cooperative Extension— College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences at Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO. Research areas: Human nutrition and health.

 

Dr. Manzoor Chowdhury: Professor of Economics—School of Business at Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO.

Research areas: Economic analysis and feasibility study of crop production. 

 

Mr. Grato Ndunguru: Research Technician, Cooperative Research—College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences at Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO. Research areas: Quinoa production and field management.

 

Dr. Kerry Clark: Assistant Professor of Crop Science and Director of International Program—Division of Plant and Soil Science at University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. Research areas: Specialty crop production, management and promotion.

 

Dr. Shahidul Islam: Professor of Agriculture, Graduate Coordinator / Director, USDA Regulatory Science Center of Excellence—Department of Agriculture at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), Pine Bluff, AR. Research areas: Nutrition and bioactive components of fruits and vegetables toward human health benefits.   

 

Dr. Rafat Siddiqui: Professor of Biochemistry—Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA. Research areas: Nutrition and bioactive components of fruits and vegetables toward human health benefits.   

 

Dr. Khwaja Hossain: Professor of Molecular Biology—Mayville State University, Mayville, ND. Research areas: Functional analysis of food for human health benefits. 

 

 

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Jefferson City, MO 65102