




































In ternationa l
Scholars
Journa ls

 

African Journal of Environmental Economics and Management ISSN 2375-0707 Vol. 2 (6), pp. 207-209, June, 
2014. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

 

Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. 

Short Communication 
 

A study of the vegetative development of 
Amaranthus in order to integrate it into agricultural 

technologies and adapt it to climatic conditions from 
Somesan Plateau 

 

George Sergiu1, Vladimir Paul2, Pascal Balint2, Ludovic Bentoiu2 and Drăgoi Nicolae Bretan3  
 

1
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Arad, Romania. 

2
Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Bacău, Bacău, Romania. 

3
Department of Renewable energy and recycling systems, Transilvania University of Brașov, Brașov, Romania. 

 

Accepted 11 February 2014 
 

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 aims to test the 
vegetative development of AMARANTHUS cultivars, in order to integrate the research results with the agricultural 
technologies, adapted to the climatic conditions from Somesan Plateau. The cultivars tested 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 
shows very significant positive production of variants with densities of 100,000 plants/ha. Interaction of the 
cultivars of AMARANTHUS upon density is much more diversified on the yields obtained and shows in case of 
density 70,000 plants/ha superiority of the cultivars: Alegria, Amont, Golden and Plenitude, and in case of 100,000 
plants/ha cultivars: Amont, Golden, Hopi Red Dye, Plenitude and Intense Purpure. Influence of variety of 
AMARANTHUS on biomass production shows the cultivars with the highest productivity as follows: Plenitude, 
Alegria, Amont, Intense Purpure. Influence of density on biomass productivity of AMARANTHUS is similar with the 
seeds productivity, namely 100,000 plants/ha provides very significant positive production compared with the 
average of the variants. 

 
Keywords: Amaranthus cultivars, seed, biomass. 

 
INTRODUCTION 

 
Genus Amaranthus contains about 60 species, but only a 
few cultivated, most are considered weeds. Species 
cultivated for seeds are (Marin et al., 2008; Law-Ogbomo 
and Ajayi, 2009): Amaranthus hypochondriacus, 
Amaranthus cruentus and Amaranthus caudatus.  
Species cultivated for leaves are: Amaranthus tricolor, 
Amaranthus dubius, Amaranthus lividus, Amaranthus 
creuntus, Amaranthus palmeri and Amaranthus hybridus 
were used by ancient populations in the southern U.S. 
Amaranthus retroflexus is considered one of the most 
common and dangerous weed.  

Amaranthus are species with high value of proteins in 
seeds. The Amaranthus genotype species are cultivated 
 
 

 
Corresponding Author Email: george_sergiu@gmail.com 

 
 
 
 
 
 
as „pseudo cereals” because of their high content of 
carbohydrates, proteins and fats, comparable or even 
superior to cereals themselves (Rusu et al., 2009; Toader 
and Roman, 2009). The seed of Amaranthus has a high 
value in proteins (12-18%) and higher content of lysine. 
This high content in lysine makes Amaranthus to be used 
mainly in improving the biological value of processed 
food. Flour protein value of Amaranthus is enhanced 
when it is mixed with cereal flour. When flour of 
Amaranthus is mixed in a ratio of 30:70 with the rice, corn 
or wheat flour, protein quality (based on casein) 
increases from 72 to 90, 58 to 81, respectively from 32 to 
50. Protein from Amaranthus differs from the grain by the 
fact that 65% is found in germ and 35% in the 
endosperm; 15% protein is found in germ and 85% in the 
endosperm of cereals. Amaranthus are annual plants that 
prefer a warm / temperate climate and multiply by self- 



       

  Table 1. Seeds production of  Amaranthus cultivars obtained on Stagnic argic phaeozem  
  in Cluj Napoca, 2008-2009     

        

   Variant Production (kg/ha) Production (%) Difference (±) Significance of differences 
       

  Witness (average) 2,530.36 100 0 Witness 
  V1 - Alegria 2,425.83 c 95.9 -104.53 000 
  V2 - Amont 2,670.17 j 105.5 139.81 *** 
  V3 - Pleisman 2,497.17 g 98.7 -33.19 000 
  V4 - Golden 2,727.17 k 107.8 196.81 *** 
  V5 - Mercado 2,411.00 b 95.3 -119.36 000 
  V6 - Burgundi 2,511.00 h 99.2 -19.36 000 
  V7 - Hopi Red Dye 2,549.33 i 100.7 18.97 *** 
  V8 - Chihuahan 2,472.83 d 97.7 -57.53 000 
  V9 - Opopeo 2,488.83 f 98.4 -41.53 000 
  V10 - MT3 2,404.17 a 95.0 -126.19 000 
  V11 - Plenitude 2,727.00 k 107.8 196.64 *** 
  V12 - Intense Purpure 2,479.83 e 98.0 -50.53 000 
        

 
LSD 5%= 6.77 kg/ha, LSD 1% = 9.22 kg/ha, LSD 0.1% = 12.40 

kg/ha * signification positives, 
0
 signification negatives 

a, b, c……j, k – classification by Duncan test 
 

 
pollination. There are a variety of species. Some have the 
characteristic to tolerate drought, which makes them in 
semi-arid areas, and some species in irrigated areas, as 
an alternative for farmers that are trying to reduce the 
cost of irrigation and soil salinization.  
Researches conducted currently focuses in three 
directions: germplasm conservation and utilization, 
developed and improved technological lines and an 
increased awareness regarding the qualities of this plant. 
 
 
Materials and Methods 
 
Testing of 12 cultivars of Amaranthus for the purpose of their 
integration in the agricultural technologies of Somesan Plateau, was 
done on stagnic argic phaeozem, in the following climatic 
conditions: annual precipitations value of 523 mm and annual 
average temperature of 9.4°C. Stagnic argic phaeozem (SRTS, 
2003) from the experimental field is loam clay / clay loam soil (45.7 / 
55.7% clay), weak acidic (pH 6.02 to 6.42), rich in humus (3.27 to 
4.33%) and nutrients. Varieties tested are:  
Alegria (Amaranthus cruenthus) 
Amont (Amaranthus cruenthus)  
Pleisman (Amaranthus hypochondriacus x Amaranthus hybridus) 
Golden (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)  
Mercado (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) 
Burgundi (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) Hopi 
Red Dye (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) 
Chihuahan (Amaranthus cruenthus) 
Opopeo (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)  
MT3 (Amaranthus cruenthus, parent material of the cultivar Amont) 
Plenitude (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)  
Intense Purpure (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)  

The study aims to test the vegetative development of 
Amaranthus, in order to integrate it in the agricultural technologies, 
adaptated to climatic conditions from Somesan Plateau. 
Determinations followed the vegetative development of the plants 
every 15 days, number of leaves, green biomass and seed 

 
 
 
 
 
production. Varieties were cultivated in two types of density: D1 = 

70,000 harvestable plants/ha, D2 = 100,000 harvestable plants/ha, 

in 3 repetitions, and the experimental plot size was 210 m
2
. It was 

sown at 0.5 cm depth; distance between rows being 70 cm, 
experimental data processing was done by ANOVA and Duncan 
test (Polifact, 2010). 
 
 
Results and Discussion 
 
Vegetative development of Amaranthus cultivars 
determined every 15 days show an increase in height, in 
terms of Cluj-Napoca, approximately 85-99 centimeters, 
the increase being faster in the first part of the vegetation. 
Number of leaves per plant reaches, an average, at 
harvest from 24 to 30 leaves. Green biomass at harvest 
is 197-317 grams per plant. Related traits were 
determined in bloom and seed maturity, considering that 
50% of seed maturity is achieved after 15 September.  

Statistical processing of the results concerning the seed 
production shows the influence of the cultivated variety 
on the obtained yields. Influence of variety of Amaranthus 
cultivars on the obtained seed production is shown in 
Table 1. Duncan Test rank first cultivars: Golden, 
Plenitude and Amont, indicating that yields are the 
average of densities, so they are smaller than varieties 

productions grown in D2. The average of 2,530.36 kg/ha, 
shows very significant positive production for all varieties 
at density of 100,000 plants/ha, except the cultivars 
Alegria (with positive differences between 193.97 to 
581.31 kg/ha). Multiple comparison of variants show the 
productivity order of the interactions, the most productive 

being: Golden x D2, Plenitude x D2 and Amont 
x D2. 

Variance analysis for factor density shows very distinct 
   

George et al.           207 



208         Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 
 

 

 
Table 2. Influence of density of Amaranthus cultivars on seeds production obtained on Stagnic argic phaeozem in Cluj-Napoca, 
2008-2009 

 
 Variant Production (kg/ha) Production (%) Difference (±) Significance of differences 
 Witness (average) 2,530.36 100 0 Witness 
 D1, 70,000 plants/ha 2,223.33 a 87.9 -307.03 000 
 D2, 100,000 plants/ha 2,837.39 b 112.1 307.03 *** 

 
LSD 5%= 2.35 kg/ha, LSD 1% = 3.19 kg/ha, LSD 0.1% = 4.28 kg/ha 

* signification positives, 
0
 signification negatives 

a, b – classification by Duncan test 
 
 

 
Table 3. Biomass production of Amaranthus cultivars obtained on Stagnic argic 
phaeozem in Cluj-Napoca, 2008-2009 
 
   Variant Production (kg/ha) Production (%) Difference (±) Significance of differences 
 Witness (average) 22,668.26 100 0 Witness 
 V1 - Alegria 25,988.67 e 114.6 3,320.40 *** 
 V2 - Amont 25,720.17 e 113.5 3,051.90 *** 
 V3 - Pleisman 16,743.5 a 73.9 -5,924.76 000 
 V4 - Golden 20,899.83 bc 92.2 -1,768.43 0 
 V5 - Mercado 19,453.17 b 85.8 -3,215.10 000 
 V6 - Burgundi 22,153 cd 97.7 -515.26 ns 
 V7 - Hopi Red Dye 22,673.33 d 100 5.07 ns 
 V8 - Chihuahan 22,707.5 d 100.2 39.24 ns 
 V9 - Opopeo 22,855.5 d 100.8 187.24 ns 
 V10 - MT3 20,559.17 b 90.7 -2,109.10 00 
 V11 - Plenitude 26,859.33 e 118.5 4,191.07 *** 
 V12 - Intense Purpure 25,406 e 112.1 2,737.74 *** 
 
LSD 5%= 1,412.41 kg/ha, LSD 1% = 1,924.41 kg/ha, LSD 0.1% = 2,586.01 kg/ha 

ns – not significant, * signification positives, 
0
 signification negatives 

a, b...d, e – classification by Duncan test 
 
 
 
significantly positive differences for all variants for D2 
(100,000 plants/ha, table 2), positive differences being 
307.03 kg/ha. Multiple processing with Duncan test 

classifies density variants in the following order: D2, D1.  
Interaction of density variants on productivity of 

Amaranthus cultivars varieties, show for all variants 

higher production values and positive significance for D2 
variants, compared with the witness - average. 

Processing with Duncan test classify variants: D2 x 

Golden, D2 x Plenitude, D2 x Amont, D2 x Hopi Red Dye 
etc.  

Interaction variety of Amaranthus cultivars, upon 
density is much more diverse, as influence on the 

obtained yields and shows, at density D1 (70,000 
plants/ha) superiority of the cultivars: Alegria, Amont, 

Golden and Plenitude, and at D2 (100,000 plants/ha) 
cultivars: Amont, Golden, Hopi Red Dye and Intende 
Purpure.  

Influence of variety of Amaranthus cultivars on the 
biomass production is shown in Table 3, variants with the 
highest productivity being (e): Plenitude, Alegria, Amont, 

 
 

 
Intense purpure, production averages are between 
25,406 to 26,859.33 kg/ha. The results obtained in 
biomass production of Amaranthus sp., through the 
interaction between variety and density, compared to the 
average experience of 22,668.26 kg/ha, variants 
classified by Duncan test first, are as follows: Plenitude x 

D2, Amont x D2, Alegria x D2, Intense Purpure x D2 (j), 
with biomass production between 29,847.33 to 31,503.67 
kg/ha.  

Influence of density (Table 4) on biomass productivity 
of Amaranthus cultivars is similar with the seeds 

productivity, namely, D2 (100,000 plants/ha) provides 
very significant positive production compared with the 
average of the variants.  

The interaction density × cultivars and cultivars x 
density interaction show similar situations with the results 
of seeds production. Thus in terms of density, the best 

combinations (k) are: D2 x Plenitude, D2 x Alegria, D2 x 

Amont, D2 x Intense Purpure, which at the same time 

shows that at D1 best results are: Alegria, Amont, Golden 

and Plenitude, and at D2 the best results are: Amont, 



George et al.           209 
 
 
 

Table 4. Influence of density of Amaranthus cultivars upon biomass production obtained on  
Stagnic argic phaeozem in Cluj-Napoca, 2008-2009 

 
 Variant Production (kg/ha) Production (%) Difference (±) Significance of differences 
 Witness (average) 22,668.26 100 0 Witness 
 D1, 70000 pl/ha 18,832.61 b 83.1 -3,835.65 000 
 D2, 100000 pl/ha 26,503.92 a 116.9 3,835.65 *** 

 
LSD 5%= 583.31 kg/ha, LSD 1% = 792.85 kg/ha, LSD 0.1% = 1,061.85 kg/ha 

* signification positives, 
0
 signification negatives 

a, b – classification by Duncan test 
 
 
Golden, Hopi Red Dye, Plenitude and Intense Purpure. 
 
 
Conclusions 
 
Results obtained in seeds production of Amaranthus 
cultivars shows an average of 2,530.36 kg/ha, 
ascertaining very significant positive production of 
variants with densities of 100,000 plants/ha. Interaction of 
density variants on productivity variants of Amaranthus 

cultivars is classified by the Duncan test as follows: D2 x 

Golden, D2 x Plenitude, D2 x Amont, D2 x Hopi Red Dye 
etc. Interaction of the variety of Amaranthus cultivars 
upon density is much more diversified on the yields 

obtained and shows in case of density D1 (70,000 
plants/ha) superiority of the cultivars: Alegria, Amont, 

Golden and Plenitude, and in case of D2 (100,000 
plants/ha) cultivars: Amont, Golden, Hopi Red Dye, 
Plenitude and Intense Purpure. Comparison of multiple 
variants show the productivity order of the variants, the 

most productive being: Golden x D2, Plenitude x D2 and 
Amont x D2.  

The results obtained in biomass production of 
Amaranthus cultivars towards the average experience of 
22,668.26 kg/ha, yields classified by Duncan test, first 

place are: Plenitude x D2, Amont x D2, Alegria x D2, 

Plenitude x D2 (j), with biomass production between 
29,847.33 and 31,503.67 kg/ha. Influence of Amaranthus 
cultivars on biomass production shows the variants with 
the highest productivity as follows (e): Plenitude, Alegria, 
Amont, Intense Purpure, average productions are 
between 25,406 and 26,859.33 kg/ha. Influence of 
density on biomass productivity of Amaranthus cultivars 

is similar with the seeds productivity, namely D2 (100,000 
plants/ha) provides very significant positive production 
compared with the average of the variants. The 
interaction density × cultivars and cultivars x density 
interaction show similar situations with the results of 
seeds production. Thus, in terms of density, the best 

combinations (k) are: D2 x Plenitude, D2 x Alegria, D2 x 

Amont, D2 x Intense Purpure. At the same time it was 

found that at D1 the best results are at: Plenitude, Alegria, 

Amont and Intense Purpure, and at D2 the best results 
are at: Plenitude, Alegria, Amont and Intense Purpure. 

 
 
Acknowledgments 
 
This study has been financed by the Ministry of 
Education, Research and Innovation, Project CNMP 51-
018/2007. 
 
 
References 
 
Law-Ogbomo KE, Ajayi SO (2009). Growth and Yield Performance of 

Amaranthus cruentus Influenced by Planting Density and Poultry 
Manure Application. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-
Napoca, 37(2): 195-199.  

Marin DI, Narcisa B, Popa O (2008). Biodiversity conservation through 
alternative crops. International Symposium on New Researches in 
Biotechnology, Bucuresti, pag. 101. 

Polifact (2010). Analysis of variance, USAMV Cluj-Napoca.  
Rusu T, Marin DI, Moraru PI, Pop AI, Cacovean H (2009). Researches 

on Amaranthus sp., Seed Production in Pedoclimatic Conditions of 
Somesan Plateau. Buletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and 
Veterinary Medicine Cluj – Napoca, 66(1): 566.  

SRTS (2003). Romanian System of Soil Taxonomy. Ed. Estfalia, 
Bucharest, 182 pp.  

Toader M, Roman GV (2009). Experimental results regarding 
morphological, biological and yield quality of Amaranthus 
hypocondriacus L. Species under the Central part of Romanian Plain 
conditions. Res. J. Agric. Sci. nr. 41(1): 54-57. 


