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Content archived on 2024-05-29

Adding Value to Holy Grain: Providing the Key Tools for the Exploitation of Amaranth the Protein-Rich Grain of the Aztecs

Objective

The immediate objective of this project is to provide the tools for an extensive and sustainable exploitation of amaranth. The project will contribute to the overall development objective of providing health-promoting food and exploiting the industrial use of amaranth and thus provide a source for income in regions of the world, where the warm and dry climate makes the cultivation of amaranth the obvious choice.

The effects of food on human health are central issues both in Europe and in Latin America. Malnourished children and adults living in rural areas need much better access to protein-rich food supply. Amaranth grains and leaves are protein-rich and have a good balance of essential amino acids. Amaranth is a C4 plant, resistant to drought and heat. Strong efforts have been done by for instance FAO, in retrieving and disseminating the knowledge of amaranth cultivation However, a range of still not solved problems for the sustainable use of amaranth exist.

Modern technologies have become available to researchers both in Europe and Latin America. With these tools the properties of amaranth species can now be elucidated with the purpose of targeted breeding of new varieties and thus improving the basis for amaranth cultivation and exploitation, - for achieving food security and for industrialized exploitation. We will perform a systematized study of the industrial exploitation of individual amaranth constituents; evaluate the health effects on humans and animals of amaranth based food; identify genes and gene complexes responsible for resistance to insects, fungi, drought and salinity and select varieties with high competitiveness.

Amaranth genotypes will be cultivated in varying sites and monitored. Multivariate statistical analysis will be applied to the generated data to identify correlated patterns among gene expression. Amaranth cultivation will be introduced in Nicaragua to empower Nicaraguan single provider women for obtaining food security

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP6-2004-INCO-DEV-3
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF AARHUS
EU contribution
No data
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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Participants (10)

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