Germination can be considered an important process for modifying quinoa seeds’ nutritional and bioactive compounds. Understanding how germination modifies seed composition is essential to optimize their use in different food preparations and to meet the current trend for a healthy and balanced...

Agroforestry is a promising way to sustain land use efficiency in semi-arid areas. In this study, we introduce quinoa as a drought- and salinity-tolerant crop in olive-based agroforestry. We investigated how the microclimate created by olive trees affects agronomic and biochemical traits in quinoa and evaluated the performance of this new olive-based agroforestry system in terms of land equivalent ratio (LER). Field experiments were carried out under two pedoclimatic conditions (S1) and (S2) using a randomized complete block design with two cropping systems (sole crop (SCS) and agroforestry (AFS) systems), four quinoa cultivars (Puno, Titicaca, ICBA-Q5, and ICBA-Q4) and one olive orchard as a control (OR) in each block. Our results show that AFS had lower grain yield (−45%), dry biomass (−49%), and crop water productivity (−44%), but higher plant height (12%), grain protein (4%), saponin (26%), total polyphenol (12%), and DPPH (9%) contents compared to SCS. The highest grain yield was recorded for Titicaca and ICBA-Q5 (1.6 t ha⁻¹). The LER ranged from 1.57 to 2.07, indicating that the overall productivity was 57% to 107% higher in the agroforestry system compared with the monoculture. We suggest that quinoa–olive tree intercropping could be a promising agroecological practice under semi-arid conditions.

Salinity is a major problem, impeding soil productivity, agricultural sustainability, and food security, particularly in dry regions. This study integrates quinoa, a facultative halophyte, into a pomegranate-based agroforestry with saline irrigation in northeast Morocco. We aim to explore this agroforestry model’s potential in mitigating salinity’s effects on quinoa’s agronomic and biochemical traits and evaluate the land equivalent ratio (LER). Field experiments in 2020 and 2021 used a randomized block design with three replicates, including monocropping and agroforestry systems, two salinity levels (1.12 and 10.5 dS m⁻¹), four quinoa genotypes (Titicaca, Puno, ICBA-Q4, ICBA-Q5), and a pomegranate control. Salinity significantly decreased total dry matter (40.5%), root dry matter (50.7%), leaf dry matter (39.2%), and root-to-shoot ratio (7.7%). The impact was more severe in monoculture than in agroforestry, reducing dry matter (47.6% vs. 30.7%), grain yield (46.3% vs. 26.1%), water productivity (47.5% vs. 23.9%), and total sugar (19.2% vs. 5.6%). LER averaged 1.86 to 2.21, indicating 86–121% higher productivity in agroforestry. LER averaged 1.85 at 1.12 dS m⁻¹ and 2.18 at 10.5 dS m⁻¹, reaching 2.21 with pomegranate-ICBA-Q5 combination. Quinoa–pomegranate agroforestry emerges as an innovative strategy, leveraging quinoa’s salt resistance and agroforestry’s potential to mitigate salinity impacts while enhancing land use efficiency.

Morocco is increasingly vulnerable to climate change, as reflected by recurrent droughts and rising soil and groundwater salinization, which threaten staple crops and rural livelihoods. In this context, the introduction of drought- and salinity-tolerant crops such as quinoa represents a strategic option for enhancing agricultural resilience and supporting sustainable rural development. This study analyzes quinoa adoption in two contrasting Moroccan regions, Rehamna and the Oriental, with the aim of determining key socio-economic, institutional, and environmental drivers. Field surveys were conducted to collect data on farmers’ personal characteristics, farm attributes, and access to resources related to quinoa cultivation, including water, information, and credit. Data analysis combined descriptive statistics, a binary logistic regression model (Logit), Factorial Analysis for Mixed Data (FAMD), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCPC) to identify adoption determinants and explore heterogeneity among farmers. The results reveal both common factors and region-specific dynamics shaping quinoa adoption. Cooperative membership emerges as a central determinant in both regions, facilitating access to information, collective learning, and market integration, with a stronger effect observed in the Oriental region. Water scarcity appears as a critical constraint, particularly in Rehamna. Adoption pathways also differ across regions, with a higher prevalence of direct adoption among farmers in the Oriental. Interpreted through the lens of innovation diffusion and multidimensional sustainability, the findings show that quinoa adoption is not merely a technical choice but a socio-economic adaptation strategy. Quinoa should therefore be considered a complementary crop within diversified farming systems, contributing to environmental resilience, income diversification, and social inclusion. These results provide relevant insights for the design of policies aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural innovation in marginal environments.