Amaranth’s response to two planting distances and population density

Abstract

Field studies were conducted to evaluate the behavior of amaranths, Amaranthus sp.; with the purpose of being able to use them in the mechanical crop. Three amaranths were sowed in the Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad Nacional La Pampa in furrows separated to 0,25 and 0,50 m and densities of 100 x10³; 200 x10³ and 400 x10³ plants ha^-1. The height of plants, photosynthetically active radiation (30 days of the sowing, anthesis and physiological maturity),), harvest index of crop and seed yield were measured. The experimental design was totally randomized blocks: 4 replications x 3 genotypes x 3 densities x 2 distances. There were no significant differences (P= 0,01) in the harvest index of crop and grain yield (expressed in kg ha^-1), in the 3 genotypes between distances in furrows and densities. The solar interception at 30 days of the sowing (51,2%), only differed significantly (P= 0,01) in A. cruentus var. Don Guiem for the distance of 0,25 m and 100.000 plants ha^-1. At maturity, there were not significantly different treatments. The densities in the field ranged between 50-90 x10³, 90-150 x10^3, and 150-270 x10³ plants ha^-1 which would explain the lack of significance between treatments