Forage Yield Comparison of Three Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochonriacus L.) Varieties at Different Harvesting Stages

پژوهشهای زراعی ایران

Article 3, Volume 16, Issue 3 - Serial Number 51, October 2018, Pages 557-567   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/gsc.v16i3.64931

Authors

A Rahnama^{* 1}; A Safaeie²; M Rezaei²

¹Seed and Plant Improvement Institute

²Animal Science Research Institute of Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Amaranthus L. is one of the oldest food crops in the new world. Earlier studies have predicted that the grain Amaranthus L. was domesticated in America. This crop has about 60 species of annual flowering plants distributed throughout the world’s temperate and tropical regions. Three species of Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., A. cruentus L. and A. caudatus L.) were domesticated in the new world, but spread to the old world where they became important crop plants. These crops have potential for higher nutritional value, better adaptability to various ecological zones, and better resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses than most other staple crops. Amaranthus is one of the native plants of Africa that in addition to the relative tolerance to drought, have high forage production potential.
Materials and Methods
The experiment was conducted at the Karaj research station belongs to Seed and Plant Improvement Research Institute of Iran during the spring of 2016. This research located at 320 34' N, 280 32' S, the soil type was sandy loam. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four blocks in split plots factorial method. Treatments included as three varieties of Amaranth consists of Loura, Cim and Kharkovski and two harvest times which were initiation and the end of flowering. All amaranth varieties belonging to species A. Hypochondriacs L., Plots consisted of six rows with 6-meter length, between and within row spacing were 0.6 and 0.1 meter, respectively. Soil was prepared in early bloom and seeds planted on the firmed bed at 1-2 cm depth in mid-May. Fertilization, Irrigation, weed and insect control were followed like the other leafy forage crop. Ten randomly selected plants were collected at the harvesting time to measure growth parameters consisting, plant stems, height and diameter, leaf to stem rate and tiller per plants. Two middle rows were used for the yield determinations. Dry weights were recorded after drying the fresh forage at 650C in the oven for 48h. Analysis of variance for all traits was done by the MSTAT-C software and for mean comparison used Duncan’s multiple range tests.
Results and Discussion
Analysis of variance for all traits was done by the MSTAT-C software and for means comparison used Duncan’s multiple range tests. The results showed significant difference in cultivars fresh and dry forage yield but there was not any difference between harvest time and interaction effects. The means comparison showed that the Loura white 161.0 cm had the maximum stem length, Cim and Kharkovski whit 155.0 and 146.9 cm ranked in next categories. The maximum stem diameter equal 20.6 mm belongs to Kharkovski cultivar in class one and two-other cultivars stem diameter were 16.9 and 16.8 mm and placed in class b.

Conclusions
The results showed that the Loura amaranth variety was superior to the other two varieties. This variety had 150 cm stem height, 14.5 mm stem diameter, 1.4% leaf to stem ratio, 4.72 tillers per plant and it can produce 90.30, 13.05 tons per hectare fresh, dry forage yield tow cuts, and 111 days growth duration. The ccomparison of different harvesting times showed that harvesting at flowering initiation was better than the end of flowering. Comparing the amount of forage produced, showed that cutting at flowering initiation was better than cutting after the end of flowering. The growth duration of harvest at flowering initiation was 23 days less than harvest after the end of flowering. In terms of management and of having many opportunities to prepare the ground for the next crop, this issue is of tremendous importance.

Keywords

Cultivars comparison; Forage yield; New crops

References

1. Abbasi, D., Rouzbehan, Y., and Rezaei, J. 2012. Effect of harvest date and nitrogen fertilization rate on the nutritive value of amaranth forage (Amarantus hypochondriacus L.). Animal Feed Science and Technology 171: 6-13.

2. Ainehband, A., Aghazizadeh, V., and Mesgarabashi, M. 2007. The effect of different planting dates on quantitative and qualitative yield of new cultivars of Amaranthus spp. Iranian Journal of Crop Research 2 (5): 227-221.

3. Andini, A., Yoshida, S., and Ohsawa, R. 2013. Variation in Protein Content and Amino Acids in the Leaves of Grain, Vegetable and Weedy Types of Amaranthus. Agronomy 3: 391-403.

4. Chong, C. C. 1996. Evaluation of six amaranth varieties. Animal Feed Science and Technology 78: 346-354.

5. Dahiru, M. 2016. Growth Rate of Vegetable Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) as Influenced by Row Spacing and Nitrogen Fertilizer in Mubi, Northern Guinea Savannah Zone, Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Agriculture & Biology Research 4 (2): 8-20.

6. Gimplinger, D. M., Dobos, G., Schonlechner R., and Kaul, H. P. 2007. Yield and Quality of Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) in Eastern Austria. Plant Soil Environ. 53 (3): 105-112.

7. Grubben, G. J. 2004. Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. PROTA; Wageningen, Netherlands: 2004. Vegetables; p. 667.

8. Hauptli, H., and Jain, S. 1985. Genetic variation in outcrossing rate and correlated floral traits in a population of grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.). Genetica 60: 21-27.

9. Henderson, T., Johnson, B., and Schneiter, A. 2000. Row spacing, plant population and cultivar effects on grain amaranth in the Northern Great Plains. Agronomy Journal 92: 329-336.

10. Johnson, B., and Henderson, T. 2002. Water use patterns of grain amaranth in the Northern Great Plains. Agronomy Journal 94: 1437-1443.

11. Leukebandara, I. K., Premaratne, S., and Peiris, B. L. 2015. Nutritive Quality of Thampala (Amaranthus spp.) as a Forage Crop in Sri Lanka. Tropical Agricultural Research 26 (4): 624-631.

12. Myers, R. L. 1996. Amaranth, new crop opportunity. In: Janick, J. (ed.): Progress in New Crops. ASHS Press, Alexandria: 207-220.

13. Moshaver, E., Madani, H., Emam, Y., Nour Mohamadi, G., and Heidari Sharifabad, H. 2016. Effect of planting date and density on amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) growth indices and forage yield. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences 4 (5): 541-547.

14. Nyankanga, R. O., Onwonga, R. N., Wekesa, F. N., Nakimbugwe, D., Masinde, D., and Mugisha, J. 2012. Effect of Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers on the Performance and Profitability of Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L.) in Western Kenya. Journal of Agricultural Science 4 (1): 223-232.

15. Olaniyi, J. O. 2007. Evaluation of yield and quality performance of grain amaranth varieties in the Southwestern Nigeria. Research Journal of Agriculture 1 (2): 42-45.

16. Palada, M., and Chang, L. 2003. Suggested Cultural Practices for Vegetable Amaranth. The World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC), International Cooperators’ Fact Sheet; Shanhua, Taiwan: 2003. Pp. 3-552.

17. Reta Alemayehu, F., Bendevis, M., and Jacobsen, S. E. 2014. The potential for utilizing the seed crop amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) in East Africa as an alternative crop to support food security and climate change mitigation. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 2014 doi: 10.1111/Jac. 12108.

18. Sleugh, B. B., Moore, K. J., Brummer, E. C., Knapp, A. D., Russell, J., and Gibson, L. 2001. Forage nutritive value of various amaranth species at different harvest dates. Crop Science 41: 466-472.

19. Rezaei, J., Rouzbehan, Y., and Fazaeli, H. 2009. Nutritive Value of Fresh and Ensiled Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) Treated with Different Levels of Molasses. Animal feed Science and Technology 15 (12): 153- 160.

20. Stallknecht, G. F., and Schulz-Schaeffer, J. R. 1993. Amaranth rediscovered. P, 211-218. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds). New Crops. Willey, New York

21. Teutonico, R. A., and Knorr, D. 1985. Amaranth: composition, properties, and applications of a rediscovered food crop. Food Technology 39: 49-60.

22. Tucker, J. B. 1986. Amaranth, the once and future crop. Bio Science 36: 9-13, 59-60.

23. Whitehead, W. F., Terrill, T. H., Singh, B. P., and Galaye, S. 2001. Amaranth Productivity and Nutrient Composition in Central Georgia. Proc. XIX International Grassland Congress, Feb. 2001. Piracicaba, Brazil