Perhaps, Amaranthus spp, were planted as an insect deterrent as well as a rich food source?
We contacted David Brenner is a researcher who takes part in the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. Dr. Brenner is the curator of Amaranthus, Celosia, Chenopodium, Coronilla, Dalea, Galega, Melilotus, Perilla, and Spinacia at the Plant Introduction Station, Iowa State University. In an e-mail dated Dec. 14, 1998, Dr. Brenner stated” I have seen Amaranths grown on the edge of maize fields in Pakistan, and wondered why. I have heard that amaranths are planted around maize in China to repel monkeys. I can believe that amaranth would be more drought tolerant than maize where this is done on terraced mountain fields. I have also heard a bird control reason. However, I do not think that I understand (it).” Maybe insects were harvested? Christina Mapes at the National University of Mexico, the Instituto de Biologia, referred us to a book by R.S. Gliessman, Agroecology: Ecological Processes in Sustain Agriculture, Ann Arbos Press, Inc. Although we were not able to obtain the book, we later
