Pseudocereals – important present-day crops Maria TOADER, Gheorghe Valentin ROMAN University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Bucharest - Faculty of Agriculture At present, researchers’ attention is focused on the exploitation of alternative crops or underutilized species for multifarious uses. This new plant species has a more important role in the development and diversification of agricultural products and food, and for the development of Organic Agriculture which is a priority trend for Romanian Agriculture in the context of European and world agriculture.

Some pseudocereals are important today and these plants belong to other botanical family, but the utilization of their grains is as cereals: amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus hypochondriacus), Amaranthaceae Family, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), Chenopodiaceae Family, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) - Polygonaceae Family.

The situation of buckwheat in cultivating countries, 2004 Table 1 The situation of buckwheat in cultivating countries, 2004 (source: FAO STAT, 2004) Countries Area harv (ha) Seed (t) Production (kg/ha) Yield China 1,000,000 105,000 800 800,000 Ukraine 700,000 30,000 450 311,000 Russia 641,200 55,000 818 525,350 USA 65,000 2,600 1,000 Poland 37,254 2,000 1,182 44,068 France 36,121 2,700 2,798 101,075

The situation of quinoa in cultivating countries Table 2 The situation of quinoa in cultivating countries (source: FAO STAT, 2004) Countries Area harv (ha) Seed (t) Production (kg/ha) Yield Bolivia 40,600 609 591 24,000,000 Peru 28,000 560 1,000 28,000,000 Ecuador 750 8 500 375,000

In the countries of origin, pseudocereals are considered basic foodstuff owing to their nutritive value and, implicitly, their chemical value. Their high content in proteins, aminoacids, and minerals leads to an improved dietary composition of the products obtained from processing, and of their food value which is beneficial to human health. Either alone or as mixture with other cereals, they can improve the technological or use qualities. These improvements mean benefits for the consumers and also for the growers of these plants. Generally, they have promising nutritional value (proteins, essential aminoacids, lipids, minerals), economic and industrial importance for a variety of purposes for humankind.

Pseudocereals and cereals Starch, lipids and mineral elements contents of pseudocereals and cereal grains Source: Saunders and Becker (1984), Koziol (1992), Robinson (1980) Pseudocereals and cereals Starch (%s.u.) Lipids Mineral elements Ca P Mg K Fe Cu Zn mg % s.u. ppm Amaranthus spp. 61 – 62 5.0 – 9.4 175 455 244 290 217 12 37 Chenopodium quinoa 60 – 65 5.1 – 8.8 190 470 260 617 196 67 50 Fagopyrum esculentum Triticum aestivum 62 – 72 1.8 – 2.5 420 160 520 7 14 Zea mays 60 – 76 3.0 – 9.0 70 360 140 390 21 -

Comparison of aminoacids in some cereals and pseudocereals Table 4 Comparison of aminoacids in some cereals and pseudocereals Source: Saunders and Becker (1984), Koziol (1992), Robinson (1980) Content (g aminoacid/100 g protein) Amino acid Quinoa Amaranth Buckwheat Wheat Maize Rice Essential (for humans): Histidine 3.2 1.6 3.3 2.0 2.6 2.1 Isoleucine 4.4 4.0 2.9 4.2 4.1 Leucine 6.6 6.2 6.3 6.8 12.5 8.2 Lysine 6.1 4.6 3.8 Methionine + Cystine 4.8 4.5 3.7 3.6 Phenylalanine + Tyrosine 7.3 6.7 4.7 8.6 10.5 Threonine 3.9 4.9 2.8 Tryptophan 1.8 1.2 0.7 1.1 Valine 6.0 5.0

To conclude, activities should be continued and expanded in the following areas: increased knowledge about the biology of these new plants on the limiting nutritional factors of raw and processed grain; knowledge of the needs of these plants, specific consumers, needs of pedoclimatic conditions; agrotechnology, with significant activities in genetics, with a focus on nutritive value, increased yield, and the physical and chemical characteristics of the plant and grain; problems of these plants: fertilization, pests, insects, weeds, harvest; development of agro-industry technologies to use the grains of pseudocereals, particularly in the developing countries; improved processing technologies to achieve attractive functional properties and nutritive value; use of the whole plant, and/or plant residues after grain harvest; development a strategy of marketing for the commercialization of the grains of these plants; increased dissemination of the information on research.