Matters needing attention in cultivation and production of amaranth

Amaranth, formerly known as amaranth, alias: Yanlaihong, old and young, tricolor amaranth, Latin name: Amaranthus tricolor, amaranth, amaranth annual herbs, stems stout, green or red, often branched, hairy or glabrous when young. The body of amaranth is soft and smooth, with a strong flavor, sweet and fragrant in the entrance, and has the effect of moistening the intestines and stomach and clearing heat. Also known as "sunflower", "crab vegetable", "braised vegetable", "braised vegetable". Some places are also known as "red mushroom tiger", coriander, Yuntian vegetables, cold vegetables and so on.

Amaranth likes to be warm and heat-resistant, and the suitable temperature for growth is 23-27 ℃. The growth is slow below 20 ℃, and it is difficult for seeds below 10 ℃ to germinate. The soil is required to be moist, but not resistant to waterlogging, and the requirement of air humidity is not strict. It is a short-day vegetable, which is easy to bolt and blossom under the condition of high temperature and short day. When cultivated in spring with suitable temperature and long sunshine, bolting is late, the quality is tender and the yield is high.

Geographical distribution of amaranth

Amaranth originated in China, India and Southeast Asia. China has been eaten as a wild vegetable since ancient times. The cultivation of vegetables is mainly in China and India, and there are more in the south of China than in the north. There are some amaranth varieties with high quality and high nutrition in the south of China. Because amaranth has strong resistance, easy to grow, drought, humidity and high temperature, coupled with the rare occurrence of diseases and insect pests, amaranth is gradually recognized and developed in China and abroad. It is cultivated all over the country, sometimes semi-wild. Originated in India, distributed in southern Asia, Central Asia, Japan and other places.

Matters needing attention in cultivation and production of amaranth

Amaranth is sensitive to external conditions such as temperature, water, nutrients and soil environment, so under the condition of meeting the demand for the above factors, amaranth has good growth, excellent quality, rapid growth, prolonged harvest time and high yield. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the following aspects in production.

First, sow seeds at the right time and plant them closely in a reasonable manner.

Under the condition of natural temperature, the time suitable for the growth of amaranth, especially for its commercial production is not long. It can not bear low temperature, and under the condition of high temperature, it will obviously affect its quality and lose its commodity value. Youdao is "June amaranth, but gate", which means that amaranth cannot be sold after the seventh month of the lunar calendar in most parts of the south of the Yangtze River. Amaranth is only suitable for growing in mild climatic conditions, and it is generally suitable for its growth from April to June every year.

As the suitable growth period of amaranth is short, it is generally appropriate to use direct seeding, which can be sown in the season from "Rain Water" to "sting". Before sowing, the vegetable field is fine and leveled, 15002000 kg of water and fertilizer per mu is used as base fertilizer, 0.4 kg of 0.5 kg per mu is sown, and about 1000 kg of plant ash is sprinkled after sowing, and then covered with 0.5 cm fine mud. After the seedlings are unearthed, spray clean water every 2-3 days. 0.3% ammonium sulfate solution can be applied every 5 to 7 days after the seedlings grow 1 to 2 true leaves, and weeding is carried out after the seedlings grow 4 to 5 true leaves. When the seedlings grow to a height of 13 centimeters and 15 centimeters, the seedlings are fixed according to the standard of 18 centimeters between rows. Only by overcoming the over-close planting, improving the individual growth environment and ensuring the appropriate number of seedlings per unit area, can we cultivate high-quality and high-yield commercial vegetables.

Second, fertilize according to the sky and regulate water reasonably.

The climate is changeable in early spring, and the temperature is lower in the early morning. Amaranth is particularly sensitive to air temperature and water. Watering and fertilization should be carried out from 9 am to 10:00 or 4: 5 pm on a sunny day. After fertilization, spray the leaves with water to clean the fertilizer left on the leaves, so as to prevent the seedlings from burning due to the excessive concentration of fertilizer on the leaves under the sun exposure. When the temperature rises in late spring and the lowest temperature reaches more than 16 ℃, it will be watered and fertilized in the early morning. In case of continuous overcast and rainy weather, we should do a good job of drainage and stop watering fertilizer, and apply old wall mud or granular fertilizer to prevent excessive moisture, hypoxia and rotting roots. Amaranth has a large demand for nutrients and strict requirements, so attention should be paid to the consistency of fertilization, especially timely and adequate fertilization after each harvest. Once you lose weight, you will not grow well. It is also sensitive to the appropriateness of water. If there is a little carelessness in the treatment of water and nutrients, the leaves will shrink, the plants will be short, and it is difficult to recover.

Third, adjust the soil pH value in time.

Amaranth should be grown in weakly acidic and neutral soil, and pH6~ 7 is the most suitable soil. However, the soil in southern China is mostly acidic, and the pH value is mostly between 4.5 and 5.5. In addition, farmers are used to using human and animal feces and urine, and the content of uric acid in human urine is high, which aggravates the degree of soil acidification. Therefore, on the basis of applying plant ash or shell ash as base fertilizer, amaranth often needs to sprinkle some plant ash as topdressing to promote its rapid growth and greatly improve the quality and grade of commercial dishes.