Effect of Fertilization on Yield and Quality of Biomass of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and Green Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus L.)

The effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on yield and biomass quality of two species: quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and green amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) was studied in this paper. The agronomic performance and nutritional value of quinoa and green amaranth was analyzed in order to establish them as alternatives to local forages for dry-season feeding of ruminants in the Mediterranean region. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with two replicates, two main plots (quinoa and amaranth) and four sub-plots (fertilization treatments: control, inorganic fertilization, compost and cow manure). The results indicated a clear superiority of quinoa over the amaranth in height and dry matter, while there were no differences in the nutritional value of biomass between the two species. In general, fertilization had a positive impact on growth and yield of both species. Fertilization with compost showed higher values in most quality traits of biomass in the quinoa crop, while inorganic fertilization had better results in amaranth. The results of this study suggest that quinoa and green amaranth crops could be used as an alternative feed over spring legumes in dry-warm Mediterranean areas.