Amaranth — Climate

Metadata research draftEvidence limits

⚠️ Status: drafted from the literature survey. Values Unknown until source notes/full text. Apply docs/methodology/units.md (°C, mm).

Temperature

• Germination temperature optima: several Amaranthus species show defined temperature responses (candidate: 10.1614/ws-03-012r for the species range). Values Unknown.
• Warm-season crop; grows best under warm temperatures. Optima (min/max) Unknown.
• Frost: amaranth is not frost-hardy (warm-season). Frost sensitivity and the seedling stage affected — Unknown, expected sensitive.

Heat tolerance

• C4 metabolism → heat/drought tolerance is a known trait; the exact tolerated maximum and heat effects on flowering/seed set are Unknown until sources (water-stress papers: 10.1007/s11099-011-0062-7, 10.3390/agriculture11100994).

Rainfall / water

• Grown in both rainfed and irrigated systems; water requirement and drought sensitivity by stage are Unknown. Mexico relevance: drought-tolerant and suited to semi-arid highlands — flagged for source support.
• Sensitivity to excess water (poor drainage) — see soil.md.

Season / daylength

• Warm-season annual; planting after last frost. Season length from sowing to harvest Unknown.
• Photoperiod response is reportedly daylength-sensitive in some accessions; behavior at garden latitudes Conflicting/Unknown (see biology.md).

Altitude and Mexico suitability

• Grown from lowlands to high elevations in Latin America; the crop is native to Mexico (huauhtli). High-altitude/semi-arid adaptation relevant for Mexico — candidates and grower sources flagged but not yet sourced.

Structured-data impact

• Feeds temperature and water fields of data/crops/amaranth.yaml once evidence exists.