Amaranth: A New Millennium Crop of Nutraceutical Values

Abstract

The major staple food crops production is not able to fulfill food requirement of the global population due to relatively higher population growth rate in developing countries. The research on these crops for exploring their ultimate yield potential is currently at a plateau level. To replace the existing pressure on these major crops there is an urgent need to explore other alternative crops having the potential to replace and fulfill the available food demand. FAO statistics reveal that there is a high frequency of low birth weight children in the developing countries, which is primarily due to deficiency of micronutrients in the mother's diet. Amaranth, an underutilized crop and a cheap source of proteins, minerals, vitamin A and C, seems to be a future crop which can substantiate this demand due to its tremendous yield potential and nutritional qualities, also recently gained worldwide attention. Recently, current interest in amaranth also resides in the fact that it has a great amount of genetic diversity, phenotypic plasticity, and is extremely adaptable to adverse growing conditions, resists heat and drought, has no major disease problem, and is among the easiest of plants to grow in agriculturally marginal lands. The present review is an effort to gather the available knowledge on various diversified fields of sciences for the future exploitation of the crop.

Effects of soil types and fertilizers on growth, yield, and quality of edibleAmaranthus tricolor linesin Okinawa, Japan

“…Amaranthus, a genus consisting of more than 50 species, is an important promising food crop for its resistance to heat, drought, diseases and pest, and high nutritional value (Rastogi & Shukla, 2013;Sreelathakumary & Peter, 1993;Svirskis, 2003). Amaranthus species are severe weeds in crop fields, which significantly reduce yield and quality (Guo & Al-Khatib, 2003;Holm et al, 1977).…”

Physiological and Growth Responses of Several Genotypes of Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) under Mediterranean Semi-arid Conditions

“…Other plants that can be grown under semi-arid conditions are some Amaranthus species which are also cultivated for their edible leaves and stems, as well as for seed production. These species have been reported to be tolerant under drought and high temperatures conditions, while its crop growth cycle is similarly short (Rastogi and Shukla, 2013;Sogbohossou et al, 2015).…”

Amaranthus cruentus L. is suitable for cultivation in Central Italy: field evaluation and response to plant densities

“…An additional species that has recently managed to gain some market popularity is amaranth (Amaranthus spp. ), native to Mexico and Central America, which along with corn, beans, various pumpkin species and quinoa constituted one of the principle foods of the Maya and Aztecs (Pola Lopez et al, 2007;Rastogi and Shukla, 2013). The cultivation of these plants was in progressive decline until the early twentieth century, as they were prohibited in the days of conquistadores, who considered their use in the religious ceremonies of the locals offensive to Christian traditions (National Research Council, 1984).…”