COMMON BUCKWHEAT (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.)

Buckwheat belongs to the knotweed or smartweed (Polygonaceae) family, and by its use it is ranked among pseudo-cereals. It is an old cultural crop, originating from the Hymalaya region. It arrived in Europe with the expansion of Mongolians and Tatars. In this country it was grown as early as in the 12^th century. In the 16^th century it belonged to the most popular foodstuffs. Nowadays it is a minor crop.

Husked seeds

Importance and grain composition:

For human nutrition, flour and grits are made from buckwheat. It is suitable for gluten-free diets. It can be used for feeding, too, but in sensitive animals it may cause fagopyrism, because it contains the photosensitizing substance fagopyrin. In the pharmaceutical industry it is used as a source of rutin which increases permeability of blood vessels. It is also used as a honey-bearing plant.

The buckwheat fruit contains about 11% crude protein. About a half of protein is formed by albumines. Nitrogen-free extract forms about 52% (mainly starch), and there are higher contents of organic acids such as citric acid, malic acid and oxalic acid. Crude fibre content is about 11.5%, fat content 2.7%, mineral content 2.5%. From vitamins there is niacin at a higher content.

 Cultivation requirements:

For growing buckwheat lighter to medium sandy to loamy sand soils are suitable, with good nutrient and moisture supply, non-compacted, with pH 5 (inhibition of the growth at pH 7-9). An optimum temperature for growth is 15°C. Buckwheat is sensitive to frost. In the period of blooming and achene development buckwheat requires enough moisture. The vegetation period is short, 80-120 days only. In the crop pattern it is usually placed after cereals. If it is grown as the second crop, the previous crops are usually green mixtures, early varieties of barley, or potatoes. A disadvantage is an uneven maturation of achenes. There are often high losses due to threshing.