You will be surprised, but the weed in your garden - amaranth - is the future of agriculture. Its cultivation is a priority in many countries of the world; this is a fairly promising area of crop production. How to grow amaranth and what is its peculiarity? More on this later in the article.
Species diversity
What kind of plant and where does it grow? Amaranth is an annual herb with panicle-shaped inflorescences. The color is varied - from golden yellow to purple. We turn to the description of amaranth. The stem of the plant is straight and branched, from 0.7 to 3 meters in height, the leaves are large, lanceolate. Small flowers are collected in inflorescences, each of which eventually turns into a fruit-box.
One amaranth gives up to half a million fruits - grains - the weight of one is about 0.4 grams.
In total there are 65 genera of this plant, which include about 900 species of amaranth. In Russia, amaranth is represented by 17 species. The most famous among them is amaranth or upturned amaranth, which is a weed and is not suitable for consumption. Ornamental species are also widespread:crimson (paniculate), dark, tricolor, tailed amaranth.
Where does it grow in Russia? The plant can be found almost throughout the country. Looking at the photo, many may be surprised, because they have seen it more than once, but did not suspect that many of its varieties are of particular value for agriculture, cosmetics and food industries.
How did he get to us
Amaranth is native to South America. From there he came to North America, then to India, where his secondary morphogenesis took place. In its homeland, amaranth grass is called "Aztec wheat" and "Inca bread." For over 8,000 years, amaranth has competed with beans and corn.
Amaranth came to Europe with the first conquistadors and at first was considered an exclusively ornamental plant. Only by the end of the 18th century did it acquire the significance of fodder and cereal crops in Europe.
Today, significant work has been done to improve grain performance and increase the yield of amaranth, which can make it the leading crop of the future.
Current situation
In the US, amaranth is now grown in all states, and the government is funding special programs for farmers. The importance of the issue is confirmed by the fact that 23 agricultural institutes monitor the cultivation and introduce this crop into the food industry. In US stores in the diet section, you can see at least 30 types of amaranth products - from sweets to meatballs. At the same time, meat grown on amaranthstern, costs a quarter more than normal.
Fields of amaranth can be found in India and Nepal, China and Ceylon, Mozambique, Uganda, Nigeria. The plant is also grown in Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Kazakhstan.
Unfortunately, there are still few areas in Russia where amaranth grows. However, this culture is becoming more and more popular among domestic farmers.
Meaning and properties of the plant
Amaranth has a number of properties that are beneficial to the human body. It has been proven that the protein contained in amaranth seeds is much better absorbed by the body than milk protein. Not without reason, where amaranth grows, in South America, it ranks second as a cereal crop after corn. In addition, it contains several times more lysine than other plants. It also contains a large number of trace elements: potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus.
For many, amaranth is of particular interest as a source of biologically active substances: amaranthine, rutin and carotenoids. Recent studies have proven the effectiveness of the use of amaranth seeds and oil in the treatment of hypertension and coronary heart disease. The main reason is the presence in the composition of substances that regulate the synthesis of cholesterol.
In the flowerbeds where amaranth grows (the photo of the plant is presented in the article), it looks quite attractive, bright panicles are visible from afar. In addition, its flowering period is quite long: throughout the summer and until the first frost. As a garden flower decorationthree species are mainly used: sad, tailed and panicled. In the middle lane, where amaranth grows in Russia, it also has other names: they call it axamitnik, cat's tail, velvet, amaranth.
Vitamin salad straight from the flower bed
Amaranth leaves taste very similar to spinach. They contain lysine - one of the eight amino acids necessary for the human body, which promotes the absorption of protein, calcium, strengthens muscles and bones, prevents the occurrence of atherosclerosis, and prevents strokes and heart attacks.
In Japan, they believe that the taste of amaranth greens resembles squid meat, with its regular use, the body is energized and rejuvenated.
At the same time, even ornamental plants are suitable for eating. The nutritional value of 200 grams of amaranth leaves is comparable to 1 kg of cucumbers.
Amaranth leaf tea is good for atherosclerosis, dysbacteriosis, obesity, frequent stress and neuroses.
Healing oil is also produced from it
Amaranth seed oil, in addition to a large amount of polyunsaturated acids and vitamins (A, E, C), contains squalene. This is a great antioxidant. It is able to penetrate cell membranes, cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol deposits, and prevent the formation of blood clots. In addition, squalene increases the elasticity of tissues and promotes their regeneration.
According to the latest data, the use of amaranth oil contributes to the overall he alth of the body, rejuvenation, and the removal of toxins. Marked oppressiongrowth of cancer cells, improved blood circulation and brain activity, increased stress resistance and immunity.
Amaranth oil is 2 times more medicinal than sea buckthorn oil. It can be used to treat wounds and skin damage, healing will go much faster.
Vitamins A, E, B1, B2, polyunsaturated acids slow down the aging process of the skin. That is why cosmetic creams and masks containing this component are popular today.
Amaranth and ecology
Squirt is a plant with C4 type of photosynthesis, which corresponds to high rates of atmospheric carbon dioxide fixation, which is especially necessary in the conditions of global warming on the planet.
Where amaranth grows, wind erosion of the soil decreases. This is due to the powerful root system of the plant. Where amaranth grows (a photo of the plant is posted in the article), the soil is cleared of harmful substances over time. Therefore, it is advisable to cultivate it in environmentally unfavorable regions.
Shiritsa can also be used as a raw material for biofuels. The energy content of the dry mass is 14 MJ/kg, and the production process is quite simple. Amaranth crops are harvested with a flax harvester, dried and formed into briquettes.
It is also important for the preservation of the population of the inhabitants of the seas and oceans. After all, squalene used to be mined exclusively from sharks and whales.
Why is this important
One of the conditions of the concept of sustainable development, which is beingall over the world in recent decades and is the only way out of the ecological crisis for mankind - high technologies of agriculture in the production of products with a balanced composition. And it is amaranth that meets these requirements.
After all, in addition to squalene, flour from the seeds of this plant contains 3 times more proteins, 9.4 times more lipids, 17 times more fiber, 24 times more sodium, 19 times more calcium, 19 times more magnesium, 6 times, phosphorus - 5 times, iron - 36 times than in wheat flour.
Amaranth proteins have a balanced composition. So, essential amino acids in it are 1.6 g/100 g of protein, and the total amount is 37.7 g/100 g. For comparison: in wheat flour, the latter figure is 10.4 g/100 g.
Of the 20 amino acids needed by the human body, the flour of this plant contains 18.
Adding amaranth flour to bakery products improves quality indicators. Indeed, in amaranth proteins there is no alcohol-soluble fraction (prolamins), which forms the gluten of the dough. And the degree of satisfaction of the daily requirement for essential amino acids with the use of such bread increases by 2 times. In addition, the bread acquires a nutty flavor and a pleasant appearance.
Forage crop
The high yield of amaranth crops - 5 tons per hectare of useful grain and 200 tons per hectare of biomass - make this crop an excellent fodder base for livestock. From June to October, animals can be fed green biomass, and the rest of the time - silage, dry panicles,granules.
Recent studies have shown that amaranth silage has 1.7 times more protein than corn silage. And when using mixed crops of these crops, the level of protein in terms of one feed unit is up to 100 g, which corresponds to zootechnical standards. The use of amaranth silage showed an increase in the average daily weight gain of young cattle by 16%.
In addition, as a fodder crop, amaranth is of interest due to the low water consumption to create a unit of biomass - 3 times less than alfalfa and beans. Compared to corn, ensiling amaranth requires 2 times less labor.
All these indicators indicate that amaranth is an effective solution to the feed problem and helps to increase livestock production.
Unpretentious culture
Amaranth is a pseudocereal crop. Refers to plants of a short day, with an increase in daylight hours, the seeds may not ripen. Shiritsa grows well on sandy and clay soils, tolerates drought well. This is facilitated by such features of the plant:
- Two types of roots - superficial fibrous and taproot. The first successfully extracts moisture from the upper layers of the soil, and the second extracts moisture during the dry season from a depth of up to 7 meters.
- Amaranth leaf stomata close during drought and high temperatures, which reduces evaporation and retains moisture inside the plant.
The optimum temperature for growth is +26 °C atgrowing season 90 - 130 days.
It is necessary to sow amaranth at a temperature of 10 ° C, the seeding rate is from 0.5 to 5 kg per ha. Harvested at the first frost, at a temperature of -5 ° C, the plants dry out. Combine harvesters and flax harvesters are used for harvesting.
Culture care is not difficult, and amaranth is resistant to many diseases.
In the temperate climate of domestic mid-latitudes, food grades with a squalene content of up to 10% (Ultra, Kharkov-1, Helios) are popular. Lera and Sam varieties are distinguished by a high oil content (up to 7%).
Low labor costs, high profitability and growing popularity of this agricultural crop attracts the attention of domestic farmers.
What kind of amaranth is in the garden
The most popular ornamental amaranths in our gardens are as follows:
- Amaranth crimson or paniculate. An annual plant up to 150 cm high with elongated brown-red leaves. There are several varieties - undersized forms with drooping inflorescences and with vertical inflorescences. Flowers are red (variety "roter paris", "roter dam"), green ("grunefakel", "zwergfakel"), orange ("hot biscuit").
- Amaranth sad. Annual up to 150 cm high with burgundy and green leaf plates. Inflorescences vertical red. The variety "green tamb" is most often used to decorate dry bouquets, because its inflorescence is a combinationvarious shades of emerald.
- Amaranth tricolor. Tall (up to 1 meter) erect bush of a pyramidal shape. The leaves are narrow and tricolor - transitions of green, yellow and red. The inflorescences are reddish in color, but this amaranth is valued precisely because of the beauty of the foliage.
- Amaranth tailed. Tall plant (up to 1.5 meters). The leaves are large and green. Inflorescences are massive, hanging down. Available in yellowish green, dark red, purple and crimson.
Both lunch and dessert
Today on the market you can find a lot of products, which include amaranth. It has a pleasant nutty taste.
The oil is used as an additive to yogurt, sour-milk products, ice cream, salads.
And finally, a few recipes using amaranth.
For example, amaranth and leek soup. To do this, the leaves of the plant are boiled for 10 minutes with vegetables.
Amaranth seeds can be boiled for 15 minutes, then added to fried vegetables and simmered over low heat. The garnish is ready.
You can make a sauce for meat and vegetable dishes. To do this, take 300 g of cream and 200 g of amaranth leaves. The leaves are crushed, mixed with cream, spices and 100 g of grated hard cheese are added. On low heat, bring the sauce until the cheese is completely melted.
To prepare a dessert, take honey, butter or margarine and melt it. Amaranth seeds, nuts, peanuts are added to the resulting mixture and poured into baking molds. Then everything is cooled in the refrigerator. Nut dessert is ready.
Summarize
A huge weed in your backyard turned out to be the "food of the gods" and a promising crop.
Amaranth products are quite popular and expensive. So, for 1 liter of pharmaceutical oil, you will have to pay 700 euros (about 53 thousand rubles), and food - 12 euros (900 rubles), 1 kilogram of flour on the European market costs 8.6 euros (650 rubles).
Amaranth can become a promising crop for small farms that need to survive in the market and compete with large agricultural holdings. And the development of the he althy food industry will invariably increase demand for products with a balanced and he althy composition.
