Article 790 of alt.sustainable.agriculture:
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From: rjsalvad@iastate.edu (Ricardo J Salvador)
Subject: Re: Crop Varieties for high altitude
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Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
References: <C6InLq.C5J@cpsc.ucalgary.ca> <1993May9.035932.20139@samba.oit.unc.edu>
Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 01:57:25 GMT
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In article <1993May9.035932.20139@samba.oit.unc.edu> london@sunSITE.unc.edu (Larry London) writes:
>In article <C6InLq.C5J@cpsc.ucalgary.ca> 
>parker@cpsc.ucalgary.ca (Jim Parker) writes:
>>
>>The altitude here is over 5000 feet, at latitude greater than 50
>>degrees north. It cools off a lot at night, which is probably the
>>trouble. I am looking for cold weather high-altitude food plants
>>to try out.
>>I know that, for example, the Inca grew crop plants at very high
                                     ^^^^

The Inca _GROW_ crop plants at high altitude.  Inca peoples are very
much alive.

>>altitude, and am looking for this sort of plant.

>What about quinoa? I think it requires a cold climate and high altitude.
>There's a high altitude seed potato producer in Colorado.

Contact Colorado State Univ. for information on the variety "Dave Quinoa,"
which does not have the photoperiod sensitivy of many Bolivian and Peruvian
accessions.  Dave Quinoa is grown successfully in the Colorado Rockies and
in Canada.

Other high altitude "novel" species to consider: Oca (Oxalis tuberosa),
Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza), Maca (Lepidium meyenii), Ahipa 
(Pachyrrhizus ahipa), Yacon (Polymnia sonchifolia), Ulluco (Ullocos
tuberosus), Achira (Canna edulis) and Mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum).
Consult Noel Vietmeyer's "Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-Known
Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation." Washington,
DC, National Academy Press (1989).

-Ricardo


