Grain yield formation and nitrogen uptake of amaranth

• Published in: European journal of agronomy Vol. 4; no. 3; pp. 379 - 386
• Main Authors: Aufhammer, W., Kaul, H.-P., Herz, P., Nalborczyk, E., Dalbiak, A., Gontarczyk, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1995; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: ABSORCION; ABSORPTION; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Amaranthus; AMARANTHUS CRUENTUS; AMARANTHUS HYPOCHONDRIACUS; AZOTE; BADE WURTEMBERG; BADEN-WUERTTEMBERG; Biological and medical sciences; biomass production; CANTIDAD DE SEMILLA REQUERIDA; CROP YIELD; CULTIVOS DE GRANO; DENSITE DE SEMIS; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; GENOTIPOS; GENOTYPE; GENOTYPES; GRAIN CROPS; grain yield; HARVEST INDEX; INDICE DE COSECHA; INDICE DE RECOLTE; NITROGEN; nitrogen uptake; NITROGENO; PLANTE A GRAINS; RENDEMENT DES CULTURES; RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS; SOWING RATES; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Yield, quality, earliness, varia; Europe; Germany; biomass production; grain yield; Amaranthus; nitrogen uptake; Translocation; Macronutrient(mineral); Nutrition; Genetic resource; Amaranthus cruentus; Genotype; Amaranthaceae; Biomass; Nitrogen; Nutrient uptake; Field experiment; Vegetal waste; Vegetable crop; Dicotyledones; Content; Genetic improvement; Angiospermae; Nutrient; Spermatophyta; Yield
• ISSN: 1161-0301; 1873-7331
• DOI: 10.1016/S1161-0301(14)80039-7

The aim of the present study was to evaluate amaranth grain production, nitrogen extraction from the soil and nitrogen distribution into grains and vegetative crop residues under Western European conditions. Two field experiments were conducted at Stuttgart (South Germany) in the years 1992 and 1993 without any nitrogen fertilizer. Four genotypes were planted (K-432, K-343, MT -3 and A-10). In 1992 three sowing dates (May–June) and in 1993 two sowing densities (40, 100 seeds m−2) were tested. Biomass production, nitrogen uptake and distribution were observed between flowering of plants and (manual) harvest of grain yield. Amaranth genotypes produced 720−1320 g m−2 total biomass and 140−300 g m−2 grain. The nitrogen uptake was 13−21 g N m−2. Because of the low harvest index (≤ 30 per cent), up to 14 g N m−2 remained in the residues (straw+roots) after harvest. The N harvest index was highest with K-432. One year's results suggested that the optimum sowing date was about middle of May, the optimum density about 30–40 plants m−2. MT 3 was severely infested by leaf spot diseases.