1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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 -

7. 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

8. 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.