Amaranthus hybridus L. is a nutritious leafy vegetable amaranth species grown primarily in tropical regions. Weedy amaranth species thriving in southern Ontario suggest the edible biotype could also grow efficiently as a crop. Field trials in Guelph, Simcoe, and Stouffville, Ontario, examined yield in response to three harvest frequencies (weekly, every 2 wk, and every 3 wk) cut at 15 cm above ground level, using two traditional harvest practices (Afro-Caribbean and European) cut every 2 wk, and a control which was not cut until the final harvest. The highest marketable yields and quality measures were observed in plants cut every 2 wk, every 3 wk, and using the Afro-Caribbean cutting technique which selects and harvests thicker stems while leaving new shoots for later harvests. The difference in growth among sites suggests plants prefer warm, well-drained soil. Marketable yield was as high as 4.02 ± 0.340 kg m-2 in Simcoe with an average yield across all three sites of 2.37 ± 0.229 kg m-2. This demonstrates that A. hybridus has the potential to be grown as a vegetable crop in southern Ontario and that marketable yield can be optimized by method of harvest.
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20 December 2019
Growth and vegetable yield of Amaranthus hybridus L. as impacted by harvest methods in southern Ontario, Canada
Geoff Farintosh,
Rachel Riddle,
Rene Van Acker
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callaloo
edible amaranth