Amaranthus Species Research Articles

Dynamics of Amaranthus in Urban and Rural Value Chains in Communities of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa falls among the developing countries with poor standards of living contributing to the high prevalence of malnutrition. Interventions have been conducted, but malnutrition continues to linger, with devastating impacts on vulnerable groups. In Africa, 90% of its children cannot access the minimum balanced diet. Also, 60% of the people in this region do not access daily meals for dietary needs. Traditional vegetables like Amaranthus are identified to have great potential to combat malnutrition; however, Amaranthus is underutilized due to limited awareness of its potential and poor post-harvest practices along the value chain. This study evaluates the dynamics of Amaranthus along its value chain in the urban and rural communities of KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa. Mixed-design research and a purposive convenient random sampling approach were explored. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data for the survey, and this was strengthened by a series of five n = (30) face-to-face interviews with six key informants from urban and rural formal and informal markets. The findings revealed that eleven species of Amaranthus have been identified in South Africa such as Amaranthus spinosus varieties, including A. dubius, and A. cruentus, which are the most sold and consumed, mostly being sold by street vendors. Thus, poor perception and attitudes along with limited access to Amaranthus in some upper-class markets contribute to underutilization. Promoting Amaranthus at all levels of markets might create better awareness of its utilization.

Optimizing Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) genetic testing of seeds using real-time (quantitative) PCR

Abstract The Amaranthus genus contains numerous agronomic weedy species that are widely distributed across the United States. The seeds of many Amaranthus species are morphologically indistinguishable. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture declared Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) a prohibited noxious weed seed in 2016. Any Amaranthus spp. seeds that are identified as contaminants during routine seed testing require genetic testing to determine whether A. palmeri is present. This research aimed to validate and optimize the molecular detection of A. palmeri in seed. We refined the DNA extraction from pools of Amaranthus spp. seeds ranging in size from 1 to 100 seeds to improve sample testing throughput. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using primers developed by Murphy and colleagues correctly identified the presence of A. palmeri genetics in 84 samples containing 0, 1, 2, 25, or 50 A. palmeri seeds in samples containing up to 100 seeds. The method specificity was examined using 17 Amaranthus species and 4 hybrids of unknown genetics. The Murphy regular qPCR cycle amplified Watson’s amaranth (Amaranthus watsonii Standl.), spleen amaranth (Amaranthus dubius Mart. ex Thell.), and spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus L.), which would result in false-positive calls; however, the fast cycle only identified A. watsonii as a potential false positive. Examination of the Murphy primer binding site revealed an identical sequence for A. palmeri and A. watsonii. Additional markers were evaluated and optimized for use in qPCR to eliminate the risk of a false positive. The additional markers did eliminate the amplification of A. dubius and A. spinosus but did not eliminate the amplification for A. watsonii. Currently, A. watsonii is not known to be distributed outside of its limited native range and is not expected to be encountered in samples.

Assessment of physio-morphological traits, genetic variability, and growth performance among amaranth (Amaranthus species) genotypes from Ethiopia

Amaranths are a type of plant that belongs to the NAD-malic enzyme-type C4 metabolism category. They have a unique C4 anatomy, which is present in their bracts, cotyledons, and leaves. This allows them to produce food through the C4 photosynthetic pathway and rapidly adapt to unfavorable environmental conditions. In this study, 120 amaranth genotypes were evaluated for physio-morphological traits, genetic variability, and growth performance assessment from Ethiopia. The results of the analysis of variance showed that all examined physio-morphological parameters, except the rate of photosynthesis and stomata conductance, had mean squares that varied considerably (P < 0.001) owing to genotypes. The estimates of genetic variability, heritability, and expected genetic advance indicated an incredible extent of genetic diversity among amaranth genotypes, with a significant selection pressure for these traits in the population to produce better genotypes for improved amaranth. Selection based on desirable features such as leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit, transpiration rate, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, leaf area, plant height, leaf number, and root weight can be useful in achieving the intended genetic gains for improvement since these traits appear to be more controlled by additive gene activity. Thus, selection in amaranth genotypes may consider these desired yield-related features. Moreover, the study showed that certain genotypes (ALE-073) exhibited better intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit (VPD), transpiration rate (E), and leaf number (LN), resulting in better grain yield. Understanding the relationship between LA and E can help in selecting crops for high E and may provide an avenue to improve leaf yield. Furthermore, some of the selected genotypes in this study could be used as potential parents for improving the genetic gain in amaranth breeding programs. The study concluded that there was additive gene action present since the Ch a, Ch b, TCh, and Tca markers exhibited 100 % heritability. This showed that the use of these characteristics for selection, which indicated a potentially exploitable variation, would be more effective and successful in the long run in breeding programs than the use of other traits for splitting generations.

Sequence Analysis of some species in the genus Amaranthus L. using Ribulose-1.5 - bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL) genes

Bioinformatics is a novel method to investigate evolutionary relationships and genetic diversity among species. This study assessed the evolutionary patterns and genetic diversity of Amaranthus species using ribulose-1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcL gene). A total of 20 full FASTA-format rbcL gene sequences for accessions of Amaranthus tricolor, A. dubius, A. cruentus, A. viridis, and A. spinosus from different regions were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Multiple sequence alignment was used to determine genetic variations. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using neighbor-joining clustering method while a distant matrix was created using Tamura-Nei genetic distance model. From position 1 to 22 in nucleotide alignment, only accession KX082771.1 from USA, aligns. The exclusive alignment in this region suggests an exceptionally conserved sequence among species, implying a common genetic origin. However, from position 23 to 50, nine different accessions namely MN192576.1, MN204800.1, EF590496.1, GQ248546.1, OQ737000.1, MG246937.1, MN104855.1, MN104858.1, and MN04859.1 align. The phylogenetic tree representing the evolutionary relationships offers insights into the genetic diversity and relatedness of these species within specific regions. The genetic distance matrix shows that sequences within the same region share relatively high similarity scores, indicating a genetic connection likely influenced by their geographic proximity. However, sequences from different regions, exhibit moderate genetic differences, emphasizing the genetic diversity across geographically distinct regions. The observed genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among accessions of Amaranthus revealed by rbcL genes highlight the unique genetic features of these species in different regions, and therefore should be explored for their genetic improvement and conservation purposes.

Effects of roasting conditions on the properties of Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) grain using response surface methodology

Industrial applications of amaranth seeds (Amaranthus species L.) have not been fully explored, which may be due to dearth of information on its various forms of use or applications. Roasting is one of such ways amaranth grain can be processed for immediate snacking or preparation prior to use for varying other purposes. The focus of this study was on the effect of roasting conditions on the properties of amaranth grain, using response surface methodology design to develop, improve, and optimize the process. Data was analyzed using regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at α 0.05. Five levels of roasting temperature and durations were employed. The roasted amaranth seeds were subjected to evaluation for proximate, colour, functional and sensory properties using standard methods. Effect of roasting conditions on properties were modeled and optimized. The roasting conditions had a significant effect on the proximate, colour, functional and sensory properties of roasted amaranth seeds. The optimal roasting conditions were a roasting temperature of 180 °C, roasting duration of 8 mins with desirability of 0.69. The optimum roasting conditions resulted in roasted amaranth seeds with protein of 16.26%, moisture of 18.30%, ash of 1.86%, fat of 2.22%, crude fibre of 8.92%, carbohydrates of 52.70%, bulk density of 1.29%, Oil Absorption capacity of 6.26 g/g, water absorption capacity of 9.20 g/g, solubility of 6.49%, swelling power of 14.16%, colour of 198.31°, and overall sensory acceptability score of 7.20. Roasted amaranth grains or its flour creates a value added product from amaranth grain which could be used as is for varying purposes, or in composite form for diverse uses.

Comparative Analysis of Polyphenolic Compounds in Different Amaranthus Species: Influence of Genotypes and Harvesting Year.

Amaranth is a nutritionally valuable crop, as it contains phenolic acids and flavonoids, yielding diverse plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) like phytosterol, tocopherols, and carotenoids. This study explored the variations in the contents of seventeen polyphenolic compounds within the leaves of one hundred twenty Amaranthus accessions representing nine Amaranthus species. The investigation entailed the analysis of phenolic content across nine Amaranthus species, specifically A. hypochondriacus, A. cruentus, A. caudatus, A. tricolor, A. dubius, A. blitum, A. crispus, A. hybridus, and A. viridis, utilizing ultra performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (UPLC-PDA). The results revealed significant differences in polyphenolic compounds among accessions in which rutin content was predominant in all Amaranthus species in both 2018 and 2019. Among the nine Amaranthus species, the rutin content ranged from 95.72 ± 199.17 μg g-1 (A. dubius) to 1485.09 ± 679.51 μg g-1 (A. viridis) in 2018 and from 821.59 ± 709.95 μg g-1 (A. tricolor) to 3166.52 ± 1317.38 μg g-1 (A. hypochondriacus) in 2019. Correlation analysis revealed, significant positive correlations between rutin and kaempferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (r = 0.93), benzoic acid and ferulic acid (r = 0.76), and benzoic acid and kaempferol-3-O-β-rutinoside (r = 0.76), whereas gallic acid showed consistently negative correlations with each of the 16 phenolic compounds. Wide variations were identified among accessions and between plants grown in the two years. The nine species and one hundred twenty Amaranthus accessions were clustered into six groups based on their seventeen phenolic compounds in each year. These findings contribute to expanding our understanding of the phytochemical traits of accessions within nine Amaranthus species, which serve as valuable resources for Amaranthus component breeding and functional material development.

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.) and waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer) biovigilance in Canadian Agro-ecosystems

The evolution and spread of herbicide-resistant weeds threatens long-term sustainability of Canadian agro-ecosystems. Herbicide-resistant weeds increase management inputs and costs, increase off-target and environmental exposure to pesticides, reduce yield quality and quantity, and impede harvest efficiency. Amaranthus species including Palmer amaranth ( Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.) and waterhemp ( Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer) are particularly concerning due to both their propensity towards herbicide resistance evolution, their history of invasion, and their spread in agro-ecosystems. A biovigilance approach is taken to build awareness of these pigweeds' initial invasion and spread in the USA. Characteristics of their identification, potential hybridization, and known herbicide resistance evolution are reviewed. Fourteen species of Amaranthus are found in Canada, nine of which (including waterhemp) possess herbicide-resistant biotypes. A total of 45 hybrids between various Canadian Amaranthus species with each other or Palmer amaranth have been noted. Hybrids have been experimentally produced or observed from herbarium specimens, with three cases of herbicide resistance transfer notably with Palmer amaranth or waterhemp. Mitigation strategies will depend on successful species identification and herbicide resistance status determination. Common pathways for Palmer amaranth introductions in the northern USA include both animal feed systems with grain screenings and crop production systems including seed and equipment contamination. Regional awareness campaigns will be critical to support Canadian farmers in identifying and quickly mitigating invasions of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp to prevent establishment and spread of infestations into new areas.

Antioxidant and α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity of various solvent fractions from Amaranthus viridis L., Amaranthus tricolor L., and Amaranthus spinosus L.

Amaranthus tricolor L., Amaranthus spinosus L., and Amaranthus viridis L. are well-known for flavoring food products and traditional medicine. This study investigated the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of various solvent fractions from the whole plant of A. tricolor, A. spinosus, and A. viridis in Vietnam. The total extract and solvent fractions of petroleum ether (PE), chloroform (CF), ethyl acetate (EA), n-butanol (B), and water (W) were tested for antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay and α-glucosidase inhibition. The results showed that the three species of Amaranthus had relatively low antioxidant activity, and the total extract of A. spinosus L. had the highest antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 324.96 μg/mL. The EA fraction of A. tricolor had outstanding α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 95.94 μg/mL. It is recommended to continue isolation research to find active ingredients with α-glucosidase inhibition potential in the EA extract of A. tricolor. Additionally, an in vivo assay might be conducted to evaluate the activity and toxicity of this EA fraction.

Development of a rapid detection assay for acetolactate synthase inhibitors resistance in three Amaranthus weed species through loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

The early detection of herbicide resistance in weeds is a key factor to avoid herbicide waste and improve agriculture sustainability. The present study aimed to develop and validate an allele-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (AS-LAMP) assay for the quick on-site detection of the resistance-endowing point mutation Trp-574-Leu in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene in three widely diffused Amaranthus weed species: Amaranthus retroflexus, Amaranthus hybridus and Amaranthus tuberculatus. The AS-LAMP protocol was developed on wild-type and ALS-mutant plants of the three species and revealed that the amplification approach with only the primer set specific for the mutant allele (574-Leu) was the most promising. The validation and estimation of the AS-LAMP performance evaluated by comparing the results with those of the molecular marker (cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences) indicated that, although the sensitivity and specificity were relatively high in all species (overall 100 and > 65%, respectively), precision was high for A. hybridus L. and A. retroflexus L. (75 and 79%, respectively), but quite low for A. tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer (59%). The LAMP assay was also effective on crude genomic DNA extraction, allowing the quick detection of mutant plants in field situation (on site resistance detection). The proposed AS-LAMP method has proven to be a promising technique for rapid detection of resistance as a result of Trp-574-Leu on the two monoecious weedy Amaranthus species but resulted less effective in the genetically variable dioecious species A. tuberculatus. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

First Report of Leaf Spot Caused by Arthrinium arundinis on Amaranthus hybridus in Korea.

Amaranthus hybridus (=A. patulus), often called green amaranth, is an annual herbaceous plant of the Amaranthaceae. This plant is considered a harmful weed in the agricultural context of North America and has expanded its distribution to Asia and Europe. In Korea, it has become a problematic invasive issue, leading to economic losses due to reduced crop yields and rising weed management costs (Park et al., 2014), although its seeds and young leaves are edible and frequently consumed. In October 2020, we observed leaf spot symptoms on A. hybridus plants that were growing within perilla farms (Perilla frutescens var. japonica) located in Damyang (35°14'07"N, 126°59'40"E), Korea, with a disease incidence of 20 to 30% of the inspected plants. The initial signs appeared as grey to brown dots on the leaves, which gradually expanded into irregular, brown patches with a diameter of 2-3 cm. A single spore was isolated from the diseased leaf under a dissecting microscope, placed onto a 2% water agar plate, and incubated in darkness at 25°C for three days. Pure cultures were obtained by transferring single hyphal tips onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates. Five single-spore isolates were the same in the cultural and morphological examination, and a representative isolate (P309) was preserved at the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection (KACC49813), Korea. Colonies appeared light gray to white with regular margins and reached 4 to 5 cm in diameter after a week. After two weeks, black patches of spores were often visible in the aerial mycelia. Conidiophores were brown to pale brown, often branched, thick-walled, and measured 6.8 × 2.7 µm (n = 30). Conidia were single-celled, dark brown, globose to ellipsoid, and measured 6.8 × 5.0 µm (n = 50), with a ratio of length/width of 1.1 to 1.6 (n = 50). These morphological characteristics matched those of Arthrinium arundinis (Crous et al., 2013). For molecular identification, genomic DNA was extracted from conidia and mycelia on two-week-old PDA culture of the KACC49813. PCR was performed for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) (primers ITS1/ITS4, White et al. 1990), the large subunit (LSU) rDNA (primers LROR/LR5, Vilgalys et al. 1990), the beta-tubulin gene (TUB) (primers T1/Bt-2b, O'Donnell and Cigelnik 1997), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF) (primers EF1-728F/EF-2, Crous et al. 2013). A BLASTn search of the resulting sequences of ITS (560 bp; OL744431), LSU (881 bp; OL744432), TUB (790 bp; PP084934), and TEF (445 bp; PP084935) revealed 100 % similarity (e-value=0.0, coverage=100%) to previously reported sequences of Arthrinium arundinis (e.g. MF627422 for ITS, KF144930 for LSU, KF144973 for TUB, and KY705146 for TEF), confirming the identity of the Korean isolate. Pathogenicity assays were performed twice by spraying 1 ml of a conidial suspension (1.1 × 104 conidia per mL) onto the leaf surface of sixteen healthy A. hybridus plants. Sixteen control plants were sprayed with sterile water. All plants were kept in a growth chamber at 80% relative humidity and 23 °C with a 12-h light/dark cycle. Three weeks after the inoculation, initial symptoms mirroring the aforementioned ones appeared, while the control plants remained symptomless. Fungal isolates were successfully re-isolated from the inoculated leaves, and their identity as A. arundinis was confirmed by DNA sequencing, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot caused by A. arundinis on Amaranthus hybridus, not only in Korea but globally. Arthrinium arundinis has also been reported as a plant pathogen on some agricultural crops (Ji et al. 2020; Liao et al. 2022; Farr and Rossman 2023), suggesting its polyphagous behavior. Then, this pathogen could represent a potential risk to the cultivation of edible amaranth in Korea and other crops where Amaranthus species are spread as weeds. For this reason, continuous monitoring is necessary to assess the impact of this fungus on Amaranthus and other crops.

Evaluation of susceptibility of Amaranthus species to the herbicide trifloxysulfuron-sodium using nonlinear models

Various elements have the potential to negatively impact crops in the agricultural sector, such as the presence of weeds that compete for essential resources, hindering growth and production and resulting in financial losses. There are several methods employed for weed control, among which herbicides stand out for requiring less labor and lower costs compared to others, especially in large-scale cultivation. The objective of this study was to use nonlinear models to assess the dose-response curve of the herbicide trifloxysulfuron-sodium applied to weeds of the genus Amaranthus. Data were collected at doses of 16D, 4D, D, 1/4D, 1/16D, 1/64D, and absence of products, where (D) represents doses of 7.5 and 17.5 The models were adjusted using the least squares method, employing the Gauss-Newton algorithm in the R software. Quality evaluation criteria included the coefficient of determination, residual standard deviation, Akaike information criterion, and the Bates and Watts curvatures. The fitted models met the assumptions of normality, independence of residuals, and homogeneous variance. Based on the results, the Michaelis Menten model was considered the most suitable for describing the data. It was observed that Amaranthus species exhibit variations in susceptibility to the herbicide, with A. hybridus and A. deflexus being the least and most susceptible, respectively, requiring doses of 6.02 and 306.90 to achieve 95% control.

Dual plastid targeting of protoporphyrinogen oxidase 2 in Amaranthaceae promotes herbicide tolerance.

Plant tetrapyrrole biosynthesis (TPB) takes place in plastids and provides the chlorophyll and heme required for photosynthesis and many redox processes throughout plant development. TPB is strictly regulated, since accumulation of several intermediates causes photodynamic damage and cell death. Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) catalyzes the last common step before TPB diverges into chlorophyll and heme branches. Land plants possess two PPO isoforms. PPO1 is encoded as a precursor protein with a transit peptide, but in most dicotyledonous plants PPO2 does not possess a cleavable N-terminal extension. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PPO1 and PPO2 localize in chloroplast thylakoids and envelope membranes, respectively. Interestingly, PPO2 proteins in Amaranthaceae contain an N-terminal extension that mediates their import into chloroplasts. Here, we present multiple lines of evidence for dual targeting of PPO2 to thylakoid and envelope membranes in this clade and demonstrate that PPO2 is not found in mitochondria. Transcript analyses revealed that dual targeting in chloroplasts involves the use of two transcription start sites and initiation of translation at different AUG codons. Among eudicots, the parallel accumulation of PPO1 and PPO2 in thylakoid membranes is specific for the Amaranthaceae and underlies PPO2-based herbicide resistance in Amaranthus species.

Efficacy of dicamba and dicamba/tembotrione with and without ammonium sulfate for broadleaf weed control

Abstract Mixing ammonium sulfate (AMS) can increase dicamba volatility. Therefore, AMS cannot be used with dicamba products in dicamba-resistant soybean. However, most dicamba products applied in corn are labeled to mix with AMS. The objectives of this study were to evaluate broadleaf weed control with dicamba (DiFlexx®) and dicamba/tembotrione (DiFlexx® DUO) applied alone or with AMS or AMS substitute and their effect on broadleaf weed density and biomass. Field experiments were conducted in Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska in 2018 and 2019. In Illinois and Nebraska, mixing AMS + crop oil concentrate (COC) with dicamba applied at 1,120 g ae ha−1 increased the control of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp (Amaranthus species) from 78% to 92% and velvetleaf from 73% to 96% compared with dicamba applied alone 14 d after application (DAA); however, Missouri data showed no difference. Mixing AMS + COC with dicamba/tembotrione at 597 and 746 g ai ha−1 did not improve broadleaf weed control 14 DAA at any site compared with dicamba/tembotrione applied alone. Control of Amaranthus species was increased from 82% with dicamba applied at 840 g ae ha−1 to 96% when mixed with AMS + COC 28 DAA in Illinois; however, control was similar to dicamba applied at 1,120 g ae ha−1. Broadleaf weed control did not differ among dicamba or dicamba/tembotrione 28 and 56 DAA in Missouri and Nebraska. Broadleaf weed density decreased from 64 plants m−2 to 24 plants m−2 with dicamba at 1,120 g ae ha−1 with AMS + COC 14 DAA in Nebraska; however, no differences were observed in broadleaf weed density or biomass 56 DAA in any state. The results suggest that dicamba or dicamba/tembotrione can be applied without AMS or AMS substitute, especially at higher rates, without losing broadleaf weed control efficacy.

EFFECTS OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND THE YIELD OF Amaranthus species IN A CONTINUOUSLY CROPPED ULTISOL

Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of poultry manure and NPK (20:10:10) fertilizer on soil chemical properties and yield of Amaranthus species. The treatments were: T1-Control (no fertilizer), T2-NPK 20:10:10 (200kg/ha), T3-Poultry manure (5 tons/ha), T4-NPK 20:10:10 (100kg/ha) + Poultry manure (2.5 tons/ha), T5-NPK 20:10:10 (100kg/ha)+ Poultry manure (5 tons/ha), T6-NPK 20:10:10 (200kg/ha)+ Poultry manure (5 tons/ha. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The soil was strongly acidic, having a pH of 5.1 and low in % total Nitrogen (0.10), % organic carbon (1.13) and the exchangeable bases. From the study, the poultry manure 5t/ha + NPK (20:10:10) 100kg/ha gave the best yield of Amaranthus species, followed by poultry manure 5t/ha + NPK (20:10:10) 200kg/ha which gave an increase in soil chemical properties. It is recommended that the combination of poultry manure 5t/ha + NPK (20:10:10) 100kg/ha fertilizer could be used for profitable Amaranthus production in the study area.

1H NMR-Based Metabolomics Profile of Green and Red Amaranthus Grown in Open Field versus Greenhouse Cultivation System.

Traditionally, indigenous African leafy vegetables such as Amaranthus, blackjack, jute mallow, cleome monophyla, and spider plants have been conventionally and organically grown as weeds in open fields. However, the lack of land space due to the increase in population has resulted in unconventional, modern, and advanced agricultural farming. The introduction of a greenhouse has recently become the second most popular growing system alongside shade net and glasshouse to increase productivity and meet consumers' demand. Several studies on Amaranthus species have solely focused on physiological parameters and nutritional composition, leaving a huge gap on their metabolomic profile of the leaves which is crucial to comprehend when growing Amaranthus species in different cropping systems. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the influence of different cropping systems on the release of metabolites of two commonly consumed Amaranthus species in South Africa. H1 -Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) tool was used to profile the untargeted metabolites of green (Amaranthus graecizans L.) and red (Amaranthus cruentus L.) species. A total of 12 metabolites-trehalose, betaine, glutamine, choline, sucrose, caprate, adenosine, asparagine, carnitine, caffeine, aspartate, and alanine-were detected in green amaranth grown in open fields. Except for caffeine, aspartate, and caprate, which were found in the green amaranth grown in open fields, all the other metabolites were detected in the greenhouse grown once. Interestingly, allantoin, which serves as an allelochemical, was the sole distinct metabolite detected in greenhouse cultivated green amaranth. On the contrary, seven similar metabolites were quantified in red amaranth grown in both open fields and greenhouses, apart from caffeine, which was only detected in greenhouse-cultivated red amaranth.

Is the Invasive Plant Amaranthus spinosus L. More Competitive than the Native Plant A. tricolor L. When Exposed to Acid Deposition with Different Sulfur–Nitrogen Ratios?

The functional differences between invasive plants and coexisting native plants can affect the invasion process of the former because invasive plants and coexisting native plants are exposed to similar or even identical environmental pressures. Acid deposition is an important component of atmospheric pollution, and acid deposition with different sulfur–nitrogen ratios may affect the invasion process of invasive plants by shifting the functional differences and differences in the growth performance between the invasive and coexisting native plants. It is crucial to analyze the functional indices and growth performance of these plants when exposed to acid deposition with different chemical compositions to assess the ecological impacts of atmospheric pollution on the growth performance of invasive plants. This study aimed to evaluate the functional differences and growth performance between the invasive plant Amaranthus spinosus L. and the native plant A. tricolor L. in mono- and mixed culture when exposed to an acid deposition with different sulfur–nitrogen ratios, including sulfur-rich acid deposition (sulfur–nitrogen ratio = 5:1), nitrogen-rich acid deposition (sulfur–nitrogen ratio = 1:5), and mixed acid deposition (sulfur–nitrogen ratio = 1:1). The acidity of the three types of simulated acid deposition was set at pH = 5.6 and pH = 4.5, respectively, with distilled water as a control (pH = 7.0). The competition experiment between A. spinosus and A. tricolor was conducted in the greenhouse. Amaranthus spinosus exhibited a strong growth performance over A. tricolor in the mixed culture, mainly via the increased leaf photosynthetic capacity. The competitiveness for light acquisition, leaf photosynthetic capacity, and enzymatic defense capacity under stress of A. spinosus may be vital to its growth performance. The lower pH acid deposition had imposed a greater reduction in the growth performance of both Amaranthus species than the higher pH acid deposition. Sulfur-rich acid deposition was more toxic to the growth performance of both Amaranthus species than nitrogen-rich acid deposition. Amaranthus spinosus was more competitive than A. tricolor, especially when exposed to acid deposition, compared with just distilled water. Thus, acid deposition, regardless of the sulfur–nitrogen ratio, may facilitate the invasion process of A. spinosus via the stronger growth performance.

The effect of environmental stressors on the anticancer potential of Amaranthus hypochondriacus aqueous extracts and fractions

Some Amaranthus species have been shown to have pharmacological properties such as activity against cancer, and it is also used as a traditional herbal medicine in many rural parts of the world. The (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used as a screening tool to determine the approximate cell viability inhibitory concentrations of methanol and aqueous crude extracts of Amaranthus spp. The extracts were screened using small-cell lung cancer (H69V), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2/C3A) and non-cancerous kidney cells (Vero) cell lines. Viability was assessed following exposure to a series of concentrations of each extract and A. hypochondriacus showed cytotoxicity of 70.55 µg/mL against H69V with a Si index of 1.8. The fractionated aqueous extract of 40 °C-treated A. hypochondriacus under well-watered conditions had a higher viability inhibition on H69V and Vero cell lines compared to the A. caudatus, A. cruentus and A. spinosus crude extracts. In conclusion, A. hypochondriacus could serve as a potential source of anticancer phytoconstituents for drug development.

Amaranth Meal Powder Use in the Technology of Sweets with Fondant Cases

One of the main confectionery industry objectives is the development of waste-free technologies based on domestic raw materials. The objective is most relevant for the sweet production based on fondant cases – energetically unstable systems with a high sucrose concentration (more than 80 %) and a simple chemical composition causing the rapid consumer properties loss during storage. The study aims at the scientific use justification of the new raw material – amaranth meal powder in the technology of sweets with fondant case. The study objects are the following: amaranth meal of the native species Amaranthus L. (variety “Krepysh” of the FSVC selection); amaranth meal powder; sugar, fruit and milk fondant candy masses; candies. A man determined the chemical composition of pilot order of amaranth seed meal: 19.6 % proteins including water-soluble; 17.9 % dietary fiber; 46.9 % starch; 1.01 % macro- and microelements including selenium. The research concerns the IR treatment impact of amaranth meal particles on the power consumption of the disintegrator; the attack of amaranth meal proteins by digestive enzymes, the dependence of the organoleptic meal parameters on the processing temperature. The rational temperature range of IR processing is 115–120 °C. A man introduced the amaranth meal powder into the formulation of sweets with fondant cases by replacing white sugar. The amaranth meal powder presence in fondant syrup accelerates the crystallization process due to the sucrose adsorption on the amaranth meal particle surface followed by nucleation and crystal growth. The authors analyzed fractional composition by a microscopy. They determined that with an increase in the fine-crystalline fraction proportion, the sweet quality improves.

Seed protein biotyping in Amaranthus species: a tool for rapid identification of weedy amaranths of concern

BackgroundThe Amaranthus genus contains at least 20 weedy and invasive species, including Amaranthus palmeri (palmer’s amaranth) and Amaranthus tuberculatus (tall waterhemp), two species of regulatory concern in North America, impacting production and yield in crops like corn, soybean and cotton. Amaranthus tuberculatus is regulated in Canada with limited establishment, while current climate models predict a range expansion of A. palmeri impacting crop growing areas in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. Since many Amaranthus species are similar in their morphology, especially at the seed stage, this demands the development of additional methods that can efficiently aid in the detection and identification of these species. Protein biotyping using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) has been traditionally used to identify microorganism species, races and pathotypes. Major protein fractions extracted from an organism, ionized and run through a biotyper using mass spectrometry, result in protein spectra that represent a fingerprint at the species or lower taxonomic rank, providing an efficient molecular diagnostics method. Here we use a modified protein biotyping protocol to extract major protein fractions from seeds of the family Brassicaceae to test our protocol, and then implemented the standardized approach in seeds from Amaranthus species. We then created a database of Amaranthus protein spectra that can be used to test blind samples for a quick identification of species of concern.ResultsWe generated a protein spectra database with 16 Amaranthus species and several accessions per species, spanning target species of regulatory concern and species which are phylogenetically related or easily confused at the seed stage due to phenotypic plasticity. Testing of two Amaranthus blind sample seed sets against this database showed accuracies of 100% and 87%, respectively.ConclusionsOur method is highly efficient in identifying Amaranthus species of regulatory concern. The mismatches between our protein biotyping approach and phenotypic identification of seeds are due to absence of the species in the database or close phylogenetic relationship between the species. While A. palmeri cannot be distinguished from A. watsonii, there is evidence these two species have the same native range and are closely related.

Comparison of microbial community assemblages in the rhizosphere of three Amaranthus spp.

Weed management remains a major challenge in cropping systems worldwide, with rising interest in ecological based approaches that can be integrated with herbicide use. Soil microbial communities may play important, yet undiscovered, roles in weed success. Little is known about the rhizosphere communities associated with weeds like Amaranthus, commonly known as pigweeds, and considered some of the most problematic weeds in agricultural systems. In a greenhouse experiment that allowed controlled plant growth conditions and a high number of individual plant specimens to analyze for statistical robustness (n = 8 per species), we show that specific bacterial assemblages form in the rhizospheres of A. retroflexus L. (redroot pigweed), A. palmeri S. Watson (Palmer amaranth), and A. tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer (waterhemp). Using a relatively rapid and easy approach of T-RFLP community profiling of the 16S rRNA genes, distinct assemblages corresponded to plant species (PERMANOVA F = 14.776, p = 0.001), and further within each species, similar communities (F = 11.449, p = 0.001) were associated with three rhizosphere soil fractions taken in increasing distances away from the root tissue. These results provide the first solid basis for distinct plant-microbe relationships within three closely related Amaranthus species, warranting closer examination of the identities and function of the microorganisms that appear to be selectively recruited from the extant soil community. More intensive efforts to obtain the microbial taxonomic identities via sequencing are underway that can lead to further detailed studies to elucidate important functional plant-microbe interactions that may associate with weed success. Such data provides underlying key information that may ultimately exploit weed-microbe interactions in development of new integrated weed control tactics.