Re: Pinon nuts, millet, and quinoa

Ancha Srinivasan (ancha@vtt.co.jp)
Fri, 5 Jan 1996 17:47:01 +1000

At 3:28 PM 1/2/96 -0800, Carol A. Miles wrote:
>> I am seeking information on production of pinon nuts, millet, and quinoa
>> and am hoping someone on the list may have information or can point me in
>> the right direction. I would like to know if any of these 3 crops will
>> grow in Southeastern Washington where the annual rainfall is 15"/300mm, and
>> the growing season is typically hot (90-100oF/35-38oC) and dry (little or
>> no rainfall). Production would be non-irrigated. I am seeking information
>> on suitable varieties, seeding rates, cultural practices, harvesting, and
>> marketing.
>>
>> The grower who wants this information is looking for alternative crops to
>> rotate with wheat and would welcome any other suggestions (he is also
>> considering grain amaranth and chickpeas). Thanks in advance for any
>> information you can provide.
>>
>> Carol A. Miles, Ph.D.
>> Washington State University
>> Extension Agricultural Systems
>> 360 NW North Street
>> Chehalis, WA 98532
>> PHONE 360-740-1295 FAX 360-740-2792
>> milesc@wsu.edu

Dear Dr. Miles:

I am happy to provide some contact information for growing millet, and
quinoa in Southeastern Washington. There are many varieties of millet
bred for hot and dry environments by the International Crops Research
Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), where I had worked. If
you need any specific information on varieties and cultural practices,
please contact the following:

Dr. F.R. Bidinger, Dr. Stenhouse, Dr. S.K. Rai or Dr. Talukdar at
ICRISAT. ICRISAT's E-mail address is icrisat@cgnet.com

I doubt that quinoa would yield well in such hot environments as
it ha releatively low levels of heat tolerance. Further information on
this crop can be obtained from

Adrian Shirlin, University of Cambridge (as30@cus.cam.ac.uk)
or Dr. Carlos Spehar (spehar@feijao.sede.embrapa.br)

Chickpea among various crops has relatively low levels of heat tolerance
but the variety from south India Annigeri or from Syria (ILC 482) may be
worth trying. The seeds can be obtained from ICRISAT. The contact
scientists are Dr. C. Johansen or Dr N.P. Saxena.

I hope that the above information is useful to some extent.

Best regards. Ancha
************************************************************
* Ancha Srinivasan Ph.D. (Cantab.) *
* Senior Researcher, Regional Science Institute *
* 4-13 Kita 24 Nishi 2, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001 JAPAN *
* Tel: +81-11-717-6660 Fax: +81-11-757-3610 *
* E-mail: ancha@vtt.co.jp *
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