The Sustainability of Quinoa Production in Southern Bolivia: from Misrepresentations to Questionable Solutions. Comments on Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390–399)

Reviewing the situation of quinoa production in southern Bolivia, Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390) argues that the booming export market has a negative effect on the environment and on the home consumption of quinoa, thereby leading to an environmental disaster in the region. In view of the scarcity of scientific knowledge on the rapid social and environmental dynamics in the region, we consider that Jacobsen’s review misrepresents the situation of quinoa production in southern Bolivia. Specifically, we argue that (i) the data presented by Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390) do not support any drop in quinoa crop yield supposed to reflect soil degradation and (ii) his demonstration regarding home consumption of quinoa is ill‐founded from both a nutritional and a cultural point of view. We suggest that the diffusion of the arguments exposed by Jacobsen (2011, J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197: 390), because of their flaws, might have strong negative impacts on those concerned with sustainable food production and fair‐trade with developing countries. We conclude that, rather than reinforced agro‐technical controls on local farmers, the rising competition in the international quinoa market requires a shift towards an ethical economy and ethical research cooperation with quinoa producers.     

What is Wrong With the Sustainability of Quinoa Production in Southern Bolivia – A Reply to Winkel et al. (2012)

Winkel et al. (2012) have written a note called ‘The sustainability of quinoa production in southern Bolivia: from misrepresentations to dubious solutions. A reply to S. Jacobsen’, which is arguing against my paper (J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197, 2011, 390). In the following, I will respond to their main points.     

Lathyrus improvement for resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses: From classical breeding to marker assisted selection

Summary Several Lathyrus species and in particular Lathyrus sativus (grass pea) have great agronomic potential as grain and forage legume, especially in drought conditions. Grass pea is rightly considered as one of the most promising sources of calories and protein for the vast and expanding populations of drought-prone and marginal areas of Asia and Africa. It is virtually the only species that can yield high protein food and feed under these conditions. It is superior in yield, protein value, nitrogen fixation, and drought, flood and salinity tolerance than other legume crops. Lathyrus species have a considerable potential in crop rotation, improving soil physical conditions; reducing the amount of disease and weed populations, with the overall reduction of production costs. Grass pea was already in use in Neolithic times, and presently is considered as a model crop for sustainable agriculture. As a result of the little breeding effort invested in it compared to other legumes, grass pea cultivation has shown a regressive pattern in many areas in recent decades. This is due to variable yield caused by sensitivity to diseases and stress factors and above all, to the presence of the neurotoxin β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP), increasing the danger of genetic erosion. However, both L. sativus and L. cicera are gaining interest as grain legume crops in Mediterranean-type environments and production is increasing in Ethiopia, China, Australia and several European countries. This paper reviews research work on Lathyrus breeding focusing mainly on biotic and abiotic resistance improvement, and lists current developments in biotechnologies to identify challenges for Lathyrus improvement in the future.     

Environmental Situation and Yield Performance of the Sugar Beet Crop in Germany: Heading for Sustainable Development

The environmental situation and current yield performance of sugar beet production in Germany are described and compared to those in other European regions. A continuous increase in yield performance and enhanced technical quality have been achieved through progress in breeding and improvements in crop management systems. This rise in yield potential has been brought about not by increased production intensity, but by better use of natural resources and production factors. In Germany, legislation rules many environmental aspects of agricultural plant production, and special laws are in force concerning fertilizer use, soil protection, and pesticide use. In sugar beet, nitrogen fertilizer use has decreased greatly and may be reduced further in some regions. A further reduction of potassium and phosphorus fertilizer use does not seem to be appropriate. Conservation tillage contributes to soil protection and is already performed on > 100 000 ha of land growing sugar beet. Strategies of integrated production aim to reduce pesticide use to the bare minimum. Integrated pest management is effective to control insects, nematodes and leaf spot diseases. Pesticide use in sugar beet is dominated by herbicide application. The most promising strategy to reduce the amount of active ingredient seems to be the growing of genetically modified herbicide‐tolerant varieties. Possible directions for future research are discussed, and the prospects for sustainable development, in terms of economic, ecological and social factors, are considered.