Amaranth — Planting

Metadata research draftEvidence limits

⚠️ Status: drafted from the literature survey. Values Unknown until source notes/full text. Use docs/methodology/units.md (cm, plants/m²).

Seed and selection

• Grain amaranth seed is very small. Seed of food-grade amaranth (whole grain sale) is used for sowing; viability and quality Unknown. Choose grain-amaranth types (A. hypochondriacus, A. cruentus) vs leafy-types — important to match the goal.

Germination

• Germination responds to temperature across Amaranthus species (candidate: 10.1614/ws-03-012r). Soil-temperature threshold, % and days Unknown for grain types. Seed-quality/brand effects on germination studied (candidate 10.1016/s1161-0301(97)00049-x).

Direct sowing vs transplant

• Grain amaranth is direct-sown (expected) — fine, well-prepared seedbed, thin stand. Transplant feasibility Unknown. Tiny seed → surface or very shallow placement, firm contact, no deep burial.

Depth

• Very shallow (seed meets light/soon after emergence; fine seedbed). Exact depth cm Unknown.

Spacing and density

• Row-spacing × plant-population effects studied for grain amaranth, Northern Great Plains (candidate 10.2134/agronj2000.922329x) — values Unknown until full text. Argentina sowing-date × density also relevant (10.5424/sjar/2004023-93).
• Target spacing/density (cm, plants/m²), seeding rate (g/m², kg/ha) — all Unknown.

Sowing dates

• Sown after last frost; date windows by region (and Mexico suitability) Unknown pending sources; Argentina optimal-sowing-date paper (10.5424/sjar/2004023-93) is a direct candidate.

Structured-data impact

• Feeds planting fields of data/crops/amaranth.yaml (seeding_rate_g_m2, spacing_cm, density_plants_m2, germination_days).