Vegetative development and production of some Amaranthus cultivars under the Transylvanian conditions, Romania

In Romania. in recent years, intense efforts were undertaken to identify and assess the quality of many agricultural plants, adapted to new conditions generated by climate change. Alternative crops need to have reduced requirements for resources (especially water and intensive-energy fertilizer), to withstand adverse environmental conditions, have a high growth rate and energy efficiency, produce substances that can be used in energy, food and industrial domain, and are participating and enhancing biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems. The Amaranthus species are cultivated as "pseudo cereals" because of their high content of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, comparable or even superior to cereals. In this backdrop, the present study aimed to test the vegetative development of Amaranthus cultivars, in order to integrate the research results with the agricultural technologies, adapted to the climatic conditions on Somesan Plateau. The tested cultivars were Alegria, Amont, Pleisman, Golden, Mercado, Burgundi, Hopi Red Dye, Chihuahn, Opopeo, MT3 (parent material of the cultivar Amont), Plenitude and Intense Purpure. The results obtained in seed production of the Amaranthus cultivars showed very significant positive effect with plant density of 100,000 plants/ha. Interaction of cultivar and plant density was much more diversified on the yields obtained and at plant density of 70,000 plants/ha superior cultivars were Alegria, Amont, Golden and Plenitude, and at 100,000 plants/ha superior cultivars were Amont, Golden, Hopi Red Dye, Plenitude and Intense Purpure. In biomass production the cultivars with the highest productivity were as follows: Plenitude, Alegria, Amont and Intense Purpure. Influence of plant density on biomass production was similar as on seed production, namely 100,000 plants/ha provided very significant positive effect.