Integrating In Vitro Cultivation and Sustainable Field Practices of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) for Enhanced Oil Yield and Quality: A Review

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis), or the Inca peanut, is a promising functional food and sustainable alternative to traditional oilseed crops like soybean. Its seeds are rich in omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids, high-quality protein, and bioactive compounds, offering significant nutritional and health benefits. Moreover, sacha inchi cultivation thrives on degraded soils with minimal agrochemical input, supporting biodiversity and reducing environmental impacts. Despite its potential, its large-scale cultivation faces challenges such as genetic variability, low seed viability, and susceptibility to pests and diseases, resulting in inconsistent yields and plant quality. In vitro propagation presents a viable solution, enabling the production of genetically uniform, disease-free seedlings under controlled conditions. Successful in vitro cultivation depends on factors like explant selection, plant growth regulator combinations, medium composition, and environmental control. Advances in these techniques have improved propagation outcomes in other oilseed crops, such as enhanced germination, oil yield, and genetic stability, and offer similar opportunities for sacha inchi. By integrating in vitro and field techniques, this review highlights the potential of sacha inchi as a nutritionally rich, sustainable agricultural solution. These findings provide a foundation for advancing its cultivation, ensuring enhanced productivity, improved oil quality, and greater accessibility to its health benefits around the world.