Carmen
Carmen is a very uniform high yielding and early maturating variety of quinoa. The crop is short-stemmed which means that Carmen is not prone to lodging. The crop is sufficiently resistant to pests and diseases, and is not susceptible to shedding or sprouting in the panicle. The seeds are reasonably large and contain saponins which can easily be removed by polishing or washing.
Carmen is combine harvested as a standing crop.
Carmen is the first result of the intensive breeding research programme which Plant Research International started in 1992.
Carmen is legally protected by plant breeders'rights, and is commercialised by Plant Research International.
| Seed |
Approximately 6 kg/ha |
| Sowing |
Late Spring, minimum soil temperature 10°C |
| Flowering |
End June until mid-July |
| Harvest |
September, as soon as the leaves have died and the stalk has been paled |
| Sprouting |
Carmen is not susceptible to sprouting in the panicle |
| Seed yield |
Approximately 3500 kg/ha |
| Seed quality |
Approximately 60 % starch and 15% protein |
| Pests and diseases |
Until now Carmen has not really suffered from any pests or diseases |
| Weeds |
Quinoa can not be cultivated on soils with a high contamination of fat hen |