Amaranthus: Origins to Optimization is the first comprehensive work on this important ancient crop, tracing Amaranthus from its origin to up-to-date information. It has been cultivated for centuries in Asia and the Americas as an important food and medicinal crop. From a position of prominence in the Maya and Aztec civilizations, to relegation in the Middle Ages, and resurgence in modern times, this crop has seen great transformation in usage across continents. Amaranthus is nutritionally important due to the high protein content in the seeds and the abundance of essential amino acids, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and natural antioxidants.
The highly proteinaceous grain and leaf of Amaranthus can help to make diets more balanced in many parts of the world and can play an important role in combating 'silent hunger' among several populations who have little access to protein-rich diet. The seed, flour, leaf and oil of the plant are in great demand by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food and beverage industries.
Über den Autor Atul Bhargava
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Dr. Atul Bhargava completed his PhD at the Division of Genetics and Plant Breeding, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow in 2005 on the topic 'Genetic Divergence and Cytological studies in Chenopodium spp.'. He then joined the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Cytogenetics, University of Delhi as a Research Associate. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow Campus). Dr. Atul Bhargava has more than 18 years of research experience in the field of breeding crops like Chenopodium, Amaranthus, Aegle marmelos, Linum usitattisimum and Moringa oleifera. His work has been published in numerous high impact journals (46 publications). He has also authored a number books published by reputed publishers like CABI, CRC and Nova Sci. Pub. Dr. Shilpi Srivastava completed her PhD in Biotechnology (Specialization: Nanobiotechnology) in 2013 and is currently an Assistant Professor (Biotechnology) at Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow Campus). An expert in agro-biotechnology with more than 13 years of research and teaching experience she has published 3 books, numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals, and several book chapters. She has also presented her research work at various national and international conferences. Her interests include teaching plant science, plant biotechnology, economic botany and nanobiotechnology to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
