Effects of soil types and fertilizers on growth, yield, and quality of edible Amaranthus tricolor lines in Okinawa, Japan

Soil types and fertilizer regimes were evaluated on growth, yield, and quality of Amaranthus tricolor lines, IB (India Bengal), TW (Taiwan), BB (Bangladesh B), and BC (Bangladesh C) in developing management practices in Okinawa. Growth and yield of all amaranth lines were higher in gray soil (pH 8.4) than in dark red soil (pH 6.6) and red soil (pH 5.4). The combined NPK fertilizer resulted in highest growth parameters and yield of amaranths in all soils. Nitrogen fertilizer alone did not affect growth parameters and yield of amaranths in dark red and red soils. Growth parameters and yield increased similarly with the 30, 40, and 50 g m −2 of NPK fertilizer in BB line, and with the 20, 30, 40, and 50 g m −2 in BC line. Agronomic efficiency of NPK fertilizer at 50 g m −2 was not prominent on the amaranths, compared to the fertilizer at 40 g m −2 . Amaranth lines had higher Na in dark red and red soils, while K and Mg in gray soil, Ca in gray and red soils, and Fe in dark red soil. The NPK fertilizer resulted in higher Na, Ca, Mg, and P in BB line in glasshouse. These minerals in BB line were not clearly affected, but in BC line were lower with NPK fertilizer at 20-50 g m −2 in field. These studies indicate that gray soil is best for amaranth cultivation and combined NPK fertilizer at 20-40 g m −2 is effective in gray soil in Okinawa for higher yield and minerals of amaranth.