Key Points

• Amaranth is a ‘day-neutral’ (unaffected by daylight) crop.
• Amaranth is a ‘monoecious’ plant.
• Amaranth is a C4 plant.
• Oxalic acid is present in Amaranth.
• In India—particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu—Amaranth is the most common leafy vegetable grown during the summer and rainy seasons.

Nutritive value (per 100 g of edible portion) and use

The leaves and fleshy stems are good sources of iron, calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. The absorption of calcium from Amaranth is relatively low. High levels of oxalates and nitrates have been found in the leaves of various species.

Moisture	85.6 g	Energy	103 kcal
Protein	4 g	Vitamin A	9200 IU
Fat	1 g	Vitamin C	99 mg
Carbohydrates	19 g	Iron	25.5 mg
Fiber	2.1 g	Calcium	397 mg

Climatic requirement

Amaranthus is widely cultivated in both tropical and sub-tropical regions. Leaf amaranth is a warm season crop adapted to hot and humid climatic conditions. Most of leaf types are day neutral in habit but grain types are short day species. Red amaranth requires bright sunlight for colour development.

Soil and Preparation

Amaranth grows in all types of soil; however, well-drained sandy loam is best suited for it. The ideal pH range for this crop is 5.5–7.5, though it can also be cultivated in soils with a pH as high as 10.0. The land is thoroughly ploughed and levelled to achieve a fine, friable tilth. During the final ploughing, well-decomposed and finely powdered organic manure is incorporated into the soil at a rate of 20–25 tons per hectare.

Varieties

Varieties	Source	Features
Pusa Chotti Chauli	ICAR-IARI, New Delhi	Fast-growing variety characterized by short plants.  Suitable for summer and rainy seasons.
Pusa Badi Chauli	-do-	Suited for summer season.
Pusa Lal Chauli	-do-	Suitable for sowing in the plains during both the spring-summer and Kharif seasons. Stem-to-leaf ratio 1:5.
Pusa Kirti	-do-	Stem is green and soft. Suitable for summer season.
Pusa Kiran	-do-	Suitable for the rainy season. The stem-to-leaf ratio is 1:5.
Arka Arunima	ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru	Suitable kharif and rabi-summer seasons. Field tolerant to white rust. Yield upto 24 t/ha.
Arka Suguna	-do-	Moderate resistant to white rust. Yield of fresh green is 27-28 t/ha.

 

Arka Samraksha	-do-	It is pulling type variety having high antioxidant activity and minimum nitrate and oxalate content.
Arka Varna	-do-	It is pulling type variety having high antioxidant.
Arun	KAU, Thrissur	Maroon red colour leaves, multi-cut variety and high yielding potential.
Krishna Shree	-do-	Red amaranth evolved through selection. High nutritive value and low anti-nutritional factors.
Renu Shree	-do-	Green amaranth evolved through selection. Having purple stem with low anti-nutritional factors.
CO-1	TNAU, Coimbatore	Ready to harvest 30-35 days after sowing. Yield potential is 12 t/ha. Resistant to leaf spot disease.
CO-2	-do-	This variety features a leaf-to-stem ratio of 1.8.
CO-3	-do-	Green type variety, multi-cut and high leaf-stem ratio.
CO-4	-do-	Dual purpose variety useful for grain and leaf.
CO-5	-do-	Induced tetraploid variety.

Sowing time

Sowing can be carried out throughout the year, with the exception of the months of May and June.

Seed Rate

Transplanted Crop: 1.0–1.5 kg/hectare

Direct Sowing: 2.0–2.5 kg/hectare

Sowing Method

Transplanting Method: This method is primarily adopted for multi-cut varieties. Seedlings approximately 20–25 days old and raised in a nursery are transplanted into trenches spaced at a distance of 20–25 cm x 10–15 cm.

Direct Sowing: For direct sowing, the field is divided into small sections (beds) approximately 3.0–3.6 meters long and 1.5–1.8 meters wide. Since Amaranth seeds are small, they are mixed with fine sand and sown uniformly by broadcasting. The seeds are covered either by lightly scratching the soil surface or by covering them with a thin layer of soil. Soil moisture is maintained through frequent irrigation. Thirty days after sowing, the grown plants are selectively uprooted—including their roots—tied into small bundles, and sold in the market. The plants are uprooted in such a manner that a second harvest can be carried out 10–15 days after the initial uprooting. This process is repeated until the complete uprooting of the plants is finished, typically 55–60 days after sowing.

Spacing

20 cm x 15 cm

Manures and Fertilizers

Amaranth is a crop with high nutrient requirements that also yields a substantial harvest. As an initial application, it is recommended to provide 20–25 tonnes of FYM (Farmyard Manure) and 50:30:20 kg of NPK per hectare. In the ‘uprooting’ method of harvesting—where the entire plant is pulled out—it is advised to apply a top dressing of 20 kg of Nitrogen (N) twice after the plants have been uprooted. Apply Nitrogen after every subsequent cutting or pruning. Foliar spraying with a 1% Urea solution at the time of each harvest promotes vigorous plant growth and leads to higher yields.

Irrigation

Grain amaranth is a drought-tolerant crop; however, leafy amaranth requires frequent irrigation to maintain adequate soil moisture. The specific requirement for light irrigation depends on the soil type.

Interculture Practices

Amaranth is a short-duration, shallow-rooted crop. To prevent the topsoil from hardening after irrigation and to keep the soil friable, perform light hoeing. It is essential to keep the field free of weeds, particularly during the early stages of crop growth.

Harvesting

Amaranth is harvested early in the morning, either by uprooting the plants along with their roots or by cutting them. In the first method, fully developed plants are uprooted—roots and all—at 30, 45, and 55 days after sowing; they are then washed, tied into small bundles, and sent to the market. In the multi-cut method, the first harvest is carried out 25–35 days after sowing. Subsequently, the leaves are harvested at weekly intervals.

Yield

6-8 t/ha fresh leaves

Pest Control

1. Amaranthus Weevil (Hypolixus truncatulus)

Irregular, meandering tunnels form within the pith of the stem, which are filled with the weevil’s excrement. The stem develops knot-like swellings and splits longitudinally. The growth of the roots and leaves becomes stunted.

Management:

• Collect and destroy wild Amaranth plants growing around the cultivated crop.
• Collect and destroy affected plant parts—including the grubs (insect larvae) and adult insects present on them.
• After harvesting the leaves, spray Malathion 50 EC (2 ml/liter).

2. Leaf Caterpillar: Hymenia recurvalis

It weaves leaves together using silken threads and feeds from within the resulting structure. The woven leaves lose their chlorophyll content and subsequently dry up.

Management:

• Collect and destroy the affected plant parts containing the caterpillars.
• Install light traps at a rate of 1 trap per hectare to attract and kill the adult insects.
• Spray Malathion 50 EC at a concentration of 1 ml per litre.

Diseases Management

1. Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)

Necrotic lesions form on the leaves; leaves and branches begin to dry out.

Management

• Avoid causing injury to plants, which creates wounds that facilitate pathogen entry.
• Plant disease-resistant varieties.

2. Damping-off (Rhizoctonia spp., Pythium spp.)

Reduced germination; collapse of seedlings; brown-to-black lesions around the stem near the soil surface.

Management

Avoid sowing seeds too deeply; do not sow seeds too densely, as this hinders air circulation around the seedlings; avoid overwatering the plants.

3. Wet Rot (Choanephora rot) (Choanephora cucurbitarum)

Water-soaked lesions on the stems; lesions appear fuzzy due to the presence of fungal spores; leaf shedding may occur.

Management

Plant disease-resistant varieties; use only certified seeds; avoid dense planting; if the disease occurs, treat with a copper-based fungicide.