Studies on Amaranthus Culture and Utilization

Research Project

Project/Area Number	01045002
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	University-to-University Cooperative Research
Research Institution	Iwate University
Principal Investigator	HONJO Kazuo Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (20003759)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	SOU Shikou Jilin Agriculture University, Lecturer, 講師 DYO Eihei Jilin Agriculture University, Lecturer, 講師 CHOU Lanpa Jilin Agriculture University, Assistant Professor, 副教授 KA Syoukan Jilin Agriculture University, Professor, 教授 TEI Keinou Jilin Agriculture University, Professor, 教授 WATANABE Kiyoshi Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (90003756) KONDO Fumio Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (60003729) MURAKAMI Daizo Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (00003731) HAREYAMA Shin-ichi Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Professor, 農学部, 教授 (00003723)
Project Period (FY)	1989 – 1990
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1990)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000) Fiscal Year 1990: ¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000) Fiscal Year 1989: ¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000)
Keywords	Amaranthus / Culture / Dry matter production / Forage dcrop / Protein / Feeding value / Amaranthus silage
Research Abstract	1. Cultivation experiments of Amaranthus Hypochondricus ; Using one line of Amaranthus Hypochondricus the following cultivation experiments were conducted for getting the informations on the sowing density, sowing time and amount of fertilizer applied. The grain weight was highly correlated with thee weight of ear (r=0.986). The grain yield were the range from 240 to 320 Kg/10a. 2. Characteristics of dry matter production ; The dry matter yield at the harvest time was 1,426 Kg/10a, about 90% of rice plants. Because Amaranthus Hypochondricus which had larger leaves and were taller in the plant height, begun the mutual shading from the early growth stage and deforiated the lower leaves, the leaf area index was smaller than rice plants. However, the net assimilation rate (NAR) was larger than those. 3. Feeding value of leaves, stems and seeds ; The digestibility of Amaranthus silage was measured by acid insoluble ash indicator method. Digestion coefficients of crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen-free extract and crude fiber were 71.4%, 48.2%, 65.6% and 59.0%, respectively. Digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrients of the silage were 1.4% and 7.4%, and its nutritive ratio was rather narrow (4.3). 4. Nutritional and food properties of grain Amaranthus ; The crude protein content was 16.3% dry matter. The amino acid score was 84 and threonine was found to be the limiting amino acid. The total lipid content was 6% and has a high level of unsaturation, containing almost 36.5% linoleic acid. 5. The Amaranthus silage was fed to 2 heifers for 3 weeks. Although the heifers had little taste for this silage at first, they ate all the silage at the 5th day after the increasing mixture of the silage with the hay. At the end of the feeding, the heifers showed on change in general clinical findings, blood and urine properties, liver function, and pH and protozoa in the rumen.