How to select grain amaranth seeds? What are the seedling-raising methods?
Grain amaranth, also known as thousand-grain amaranth, is a high-yield crop used for grain, forage, vegetables and ornamental purposes, and is rich in nutrients. The leaves of grain amaranth are soft and rich in nutrients, and all kinds of livestock enjoy eating them. They can be fed fresh or pulped. The stalks and residual leaves after seed harvest can be used for grazing, and can also be made into dried grass meal. So how should grain amaranth seeds be selected? What are the seedling-raising methods? Now let's take a look together with the editor.
1. How to select grain amaranth seeds?
Grain amaranth seeds are tiny, so fine land preparation is needed to loosen the surface soil and conserve moisture, creating good conditions for sowing and uniform emergence.
Before sowing, mechanical weeding and compaction are needed to help control sowing depth, ensure uniformity of emergence, and overcome the phenomena of missing seedlings and broken rows.
2. What are the seedling-raising methods for grain amaranth?
1. Sowing time
Grain amaranth is not strict about sowing time and can be sown in spring, summer or autumn. In northern regions, spring sowing is from early April to late May, and summer sowing can be in early to mid-June. In the south, sowing can be done from March to October. The sowing rate is 0.4-0.5 kg/mu. Drilling is mostly used, with a plant-row spacing of 30 x 10 cm and a sowing depth of 1-2 cm. After sowing, compact the soil. When the average ground temperature reaches 18-24 degrees C, the seeds can germinate. When the seedlings are 8-10 cm tall (two-leaf stage), start thinning. When they are 10-15 cm tall (four-leaf stage), final thinning is done, leaving 20,000 plants/mu. Seedling raising and transplanting can also be used. During the seedling stage, cultivate 1-2 times. If spring drought is severe, appropriate furrow irrigation should be used to preserve the seedlings. Irrigating once at the budding stage can increase yield by more than 12%. Applying chemical fertilizer after each cutting has a significant yield-increasing effect. The application rate of urea is 40 kg/mu.
Grain amaranth grows slowly at the seedling stage and is easily suppressed by other perennial weeds, but with proper management, the seedlings soon branch. In the middle growth period, the vegetative mass grows rapidly, with many branches and luxuriant stems and leaves.
2. Seedling raising and transplanting
The seedling-raising and transplanting method is 15-20 days earlier than direct sowing, that is, hotbed seedling raising is carried out in early May. When the seedlings are 15 cm tall, they can be transplanted. This method has fast seedling recovery, early maturity and grain production. Yield tests prove that it increases yield by 20% compared with direct sowing. In seedling raising, urban suburbs and qualified breeding farms and households in various townships mostly use the hotbed seedling-raising method. Hotbed seedling raising is to lay fermenting heat material under the seedbed soil. Through the fermentation and heat release of the heat material, the temperature needed by the seedlings is ensured. New electric heating wire seedling-raising technology can also be used to ensure the temperature needed by the seedlings.
3. Seedling stage management
(1) Thinning and final thinning. When the seedlings are 8 cm-10 cm tall, that is, at the two-leaf stage, thinning should be carried out. If there are gaps from missing seedlings, they can be replanted as thinning proceeds, and replanting should be done with soil attached. When the seedlings are 15 plants-6000 plants.
(2) Earthing up. Grain amaranth plants are tall. Generally, when the plant height is 1 m-1.5 m, because the top is heavy and the base is light, they are prone to lodging. Earthing up during cultivation can prevent lodging.
(3) Removing side branches. For grain amaranth fields intended for seed harvest, it is best to remove the side branches. The removed branches and buds are high-quality feed for livestock and poultry, and at the same time ensure good development of the main inflorescence, a large main spike and full grains, which is beneficial to high yield.
The above is an introduction to grain amaranth. Grain amaranth has strong branching and regeneration ability and is suitable for multiple cuttings. After cutting, new shoots emerge from axillary buds, grow rapidly and bloom and bear fruit again. It is an ideal dryland forage crop resource on the sandy land of the Loess Plateau of the northwest and semi-arid and semi-humid areas, and is also an excellent forage crop in coastal plains and inland secondary salinized areas.
For wonderful pictures and text and popular comments about grain amaranth, you may be interested in the content recommended below by Nongxun Network. Welcome to read.
Agricultural products you may be interested in: High-quality grain amaranth seeds supplied nationwide