There are several things you need to know before anyone can help you.
There are more than 300 Amaranthus that are in cultivation, that have been collected from the wild. In addition, there are others that have been breed by selection, to suit particular needs.
A large number are only grown as an ornamental plant, as they either do not have the qualities required in a crop, or they have factors that are irritants, such as the hairs on the leaves or spikes on the seeds.
Of those grown for crops, for the most part, are either those grown for the leaf, as a forage, or those grown for the seed. Of those grown for seed, some are used for human food direct, while others are grown as chicken or animal food.
In addition, there are a small number of varieties that can be used for both leaf and seed. These are really only home garden type options, as they do not produce as much leaf and a leaf specific or seed as a seed specific.
In some climates, the Amaranthus can become a weed. So you should act with due caution, when introducing each variety.
I have grown it as chicken feed. I grow it in a fenced area adjoining the chicken run and after harvest, I run the chickens in the area to clear every last seed to make sure I do not create a problem. I hand gather the seed heads and store them in sealed plastic drums, with seed from the Persian Lilac or White Cedar [A Neem family tree}. This keeps any bugs from eating it. I usually feed a mixture with wheat, greens and garden scraps.
I have eaten the ones recommended for human use.
In my twenty inch rainfall, all the types I have trailed require supplementary watering, so I think would only be a problem here in wetter areas.
Area for area, it would seem to be more productive than wheat, barley or oats. I find my chicken like it.
I guess there are about twelve to fifteen available in Australia from specialist seed suppliers. I would suggest you check with you local agricultural advisory service, as they may have done some work under the local conditions and may supply small quantities of seed to allow you to grow out your own seed supply.
Gil
Nelson Jacomel Junior wrote:
Florianopolis, SC, Brasil
January 30, 2003.
Dear friends:
I've searched our archives loking for the subject but found nothing. Amaranthus and quinoa has been introduced in Brasil some years ago. I've studied the plants with some search in the net and data gathered in Smartt & Simmonds's "Evolution of Crop Plants". Also I'm going to use Pelikan book. Here in southern Brasil we planted an experimental less-than-one-hectare area and I still need some more datails. (Seeds has been obtained from plants firstly introduced in 1998).
So friends may I ask what else can you suggest?
Thanks
Nelson.
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