2005 Volume 74 Issue 3 Pages 298-303
The effect of ground-water level on the growth and yield of amaranth and quinoa was examined. Three species of amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L., A. cruentus L. and A. hypochondriacus L.) and two varieties of quinoa (Baer 2 and NL-6) were tested. Ground-water level was controlled by immersing the pots in containers with different depths. The rate of seedling emergence and growth were less decreased by elevating the ground-water level in A. hypohcondriacus L. than in other two species of amaranth. Furthermore, the death ratio of A. hypohcondriacus L. at the 70th day after sowing at the ground-water level of 3 cm was not different from that at low ground-water level. From the results, A. hypochondriacus L. was judged to grow better than the other two species (A. caudatus, A. cruentus) at shallow ground-water levels. On the other hand, the growth of quinoa varieties was more severely damaged by shallow ground-water level than A. hypochondriacus L., and we judged that the resistance to moist soil of quinoa was close to that of the other two species of amaranth. To cultivate amaranth and quinoa in the converted upland field, it may be necessary to keep ground-water level deeper than that for the cultivation of soybean and to avoid excessive moisture of the soil.
