Grain amaranth: A promising crop for marginal areas of Kenya

Gupta, Veena; Thimba, D. N.

doi:10.1080/87559129209540929

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The major species used for grain production are Amaranthus cruentus, A. hypochondriacus and A. caudatus. Grain yields of 2580 kg/ha have been reported in research trials in Kenya, which compare favourably with those of other grain crops (Gupta & Thimba, 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…One such crop is grain amaranth, a fast growing, drought tolerant, herbaceous plant which produces a highly nutritious grain. The crop was first grown as a food grain in central America and has been introduced in Kenya in 1984, where it is occasionally mixed with commonly consumed foods, particularly cereal based flours (Teutonico & Knorr, 1985;Gupta & Thimba, 1992;Kauffman, 1992). The suitability of the grain for production in the semi-arid areas of the country and its lack of popularity as a human food renders it potentially ideal for use as a poultry feedstuff.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of fortifying amaranth diets with amino acids, casein and ethylene diamine tetra acetate on broiler performance, amino acid availability and mineral utilisation

Kabuage¹,

Mbugua²,

Mitaru³

et al. 2002

SA J. An. Sci.

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Two feeding trials with broilers (1-31 days of age) were carried out to determine the effect of fortifying grain amaranth based diets with lysine, methionine, casein and ethylene diamine tetra acetate (EDTA) on broiler performance, amino acid availability, plasma amino acid concentrations and nitrogen and mineral retention. In Trial 1, lysine, lysine plus methionine and casein were separately included in six diets containing either 400 g/kg raw or 600 g/kg extruded amaranth. Additionally, one 400 g/kg raw and one 600 g/kg extruded amaranth diets were not fortified. The eight diets were compared to a maize-soyabean meal diet as the control. Chicks on the 600 g/kg extruded amaranth diet with casein gave similar body weights at 31 days of age to those on the control diet. Feed intake and nitrogen retention were similar in the control and the extruded amaranth diets. The availability of amino acids was the highest in the chicks on the control diet. The lack of response to lysine, or lysine and methionine inclusions indicated that these amino acids were not limiting to growth in amaranth diets. In Trial 2, three diets contained 400 g/kg raw amaranth, and another three, 400 g/kg extruded amaranth. Two diets in each group were fortified with either disodium EDTA or casein, while the third was unfortified. Casein inclusion resulted in higher body weights at 31 days of age, but did not affect the plasma concentration of essential amino acids. Dietary EDTA did not enhance mineral retention in the body or the concentration of minerals in plasma. It was evident from both trials that the fortification of amaranth diets with casein improved chick performance and the availability of some amino acids.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of fortifying amaranth diets with amino acids, casein and ethylene diamine tetra acetate on broiler performance, amino acid availability and mineral utilisation

Kabuage¹,

Mbugua²,

Mitaru³

et al. 2002

SA J. An. Sci.

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“…Maize is a crop commonly grown and used for biogas production. Amaranth was chosen as a test crop because of its high P demand (Gupta and Thimba, 1992). All treatments were replicated four times.…”

Section: Slurry Collection and Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Codigested dairy slurry as a phosphorus and nitrogen source for Zea mays L. and Amaranthus cruentus L.

Bachmann

Wentzel

Eichler‐Löbermann

2011

Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenk.

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Residues from biogas production contain essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) but also organic matter, and should be recycled in crop production. For efficient re-use as fertilizers, the availability of nutrients for crops and the effect of the residues on soil fertility need to be evaluated. Focusing on the element P, we compared effects of codigested slurry with dairy slurry, highly soluble mineral NPK fertilizer, and a control without any P supply (NK). Codigested slurry used in this experiment was based on anaerobic digestion of dairy slurry, maize silage, and wheat grain. The fertilizing effects were tested in an 8-week pot experiment on a sandy and a loamy soil using two crop species (Zea mays L., Amaranthus cruentus L.). The plant P uptake was up to 64% greater in the slurry treatments than in the treatment without P. The effect of codigested slurry on P uptake was comparable to that of dairy slurry and mineral P. Plant N uptake from codigested slurry was lower than that from mineral N (NK, NPK), but tended to be higher than from dairy slurry. The water-soluble and double lactate-soluble P content of the soil was lower in the slurry treatments than in the mineral-P treatments and accompanied by higher contents of microbial-bound P. Differences between both organic fertilizers were detected for dehydrogenase activity which was up to 32% lower in soils fertilized with codigested slurry than it was in soils fertilized with dairy slurry. Our results indicate that codigestion of slurries in biogas plants does not substantially alter their fertilizer value as P and N sources for crops.

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“…Grain amaranth has a high P requirement and therefore responds to P application (Gupta and Thimba, 1992). Its productivity can be improved at reduced cost through combined use of low-cost RP and the selection of grain amaranth varieties with high efficiency for uptake and utilization of P from soil.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Residual Effects of Phosphorus Sources in Grain Amaranth Production

Ojo

Akinrinde

Akoroda

2010

Journal of Plant Nutrition

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2 Productivity of grain amaranth can be improved at a reduced cost through combined use of low-cost rock phosphate (RP) phosphorus sources as well as selection of amaranth varieties with high phosphorus (P) use efficiencies. Rock phosphate sources are known to exhibit differences with respect to grain yield, disease tolerance and P use efficiency (PUE) in amaranth varieties. However, very little is known about their residual release of P. It is probable that the differential performances exhibited by the RPs might be a function of their P residual properties after cropping. Based on these premises this study was carried out to evaluate the residual effects of P sources under continuous croppings for grain amaranth production. The study was a factorial experiment with four replications. Four P sources: single super phosphate -SSP, ogun rock phosphate -ORP, sokoto rock phosphate -SRP, and control; three amaranth varieties: NH84/493, NH84/445 and NH84/452 were factorially combined with two soil types: Kandiudult and Haplustalf. In order to monitor the residual effects of the P sources the experimental plots were cropped consecutively three times. Results from the study revealed that sandy loam Haplustalf was better than the clayey Kandiudult soil in improving grain amaranth yield under continuous cropping system. Grain yield and relative agronomic efficiency (RAE) decreased with continuous cropping for SSP but increased with continuous cropping for ORP and SRP till second cropping, thereafter there was a decrease. Averaged over the three continuous consecutive croppings, SRP and ORP were 68.9% and 73.5% as effective as SSP in increasing grain yield respectively. It was concluded therefore that ORP and Haplustalf soil are best options for grain amaranth production under continuous cropping system.

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Grain amaranth: A promising crop for marginal areas of Kenya

Cited by 10 publications

References 5 publications

Effect of fortifying amaranth diets with amino acids, casein and ethylene diamine tetra acetate on broiler performance, amino acid availability and mineral utilisation

Effect of fortifying amaranth diets with amino acids, casein and ethylene diamine tetra acetate on broiler performance, amino acid availability and mineral utilisation

Codigested dairy slurry as a phosphorus and nitrogen source for Zea mays L. and Amaranthus cruentus L.

Residual Effects of Phosphorus Sources in Grain Amaranth Production

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