Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions
Abstract Aims The pseudocereal buckwheat has been recognized as short duration and nutrient dense crop, thus suitable for sustainable agriculture. Buckwheat grains are gluten free and provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Buckwheat is generally cultivated in hilly areas of Pakistan at high...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | BMC Plant Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07090-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849237566606278656 |
|---|---|
| author | Mahmood Alam Abdul Ghaffar Muhammad Hammad Nadeem Tahir Shahid Iqbal Muhammad Imran |
| author_facet | Mahmood Alam Abdul Ghaffar Muhammad Hammad Nadeem Tahir Shahid Iqbal Muhammad Imran |
| author_sort | Mahmood Alam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Aims The pseudocereal buckwheat has been recognized as short duration and nutrient dense crop, thus suitable for sustainable agriculture. Buckwheat grains are gluten free and provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Buckwheat is generally cultivated in hilly areas of Pakistan at higher elevation of 2500 m above sea level (a.s.l), while its area is declining in the past recent years. Keeping in view the importance of buckwheat, it requires to test the adaptability of buckwheat in other ecologies for its revival. Evaluation of a crop in new ecology particularly in low altitude (122 m a.s.l), requires optimization of sowing time for estimation of yield potential, crop phenology and grain nutritional profile. Therefore, performance of buckwheat was evaluated in response to variable sowing times in low altitude (122 m a.s.l) agroclimatic conditions of Multan, Pakistan. Methods Two well adapted buckwheat genotypes (Silverhull 24 and Japanese B + 0 IR-13) were sown over two consecutive growing seasons (2020-21 and 2021-22) with an interval of one month between sowing times (starting from the first week of October to February). The sowing time experiments were carried out in climatic conditions of Multan at the Research Farm of MNS University of Agriculture (30°9′54.79″N 71°29′48.72″E Multan, Pakistan). Results Genotype Silverhull-24 had higher grain yield (1.27 t ha-1) when sown on 1st February while genotype Japanese B + 0 IR-13 also yielded higher (1.24 t ha-1) when sown on 1st November. Both genotypes had lower grain yield when sown on 1st October. The higher ambient temperature (> 30 °C) at early crop developmental stages and excessive heat units during both growing years led to lowest yield, which shows the sensitivity of both genotypes to upper threshold temperature. A crop duration of 74.41 and 72.33 days after sowing (DAS) was estimated for February and November sowing times respectively, thus representing buckwheat as short duration crop. Furthermore, the average protein 15%, iron 3.06–3.90 mg/100 g and magnesium 344.6 mg/100 g concentrations were recorded which are generally higher than other major cereals. Conclusion Buckwheat found adaptable in low altitude of Multan, Pakistan under climatic conditions and genotype Japanese B + 0 IR-13 can be sown in early winter (1st week of November) while genotype Silverhull-24 in early spring (1st week of February). As this crop matures early (average 73 DAS) and therefore can be adjusted between autumn and spring sown crops i.e. Maize and sunflower. Buckwheat can be popularized as gluten free nutrient dense grain in this region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ca997ad5f6484fabb05c690a4a3e39e7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2229 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Plant Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-ca997ad5f6484fabb05c690a4a3e39e72025-08-20T04:01:56ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-08-0125112010.1186/s12870-025-07090-9Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditionsMahmood Alam0Abdul Ghaffar1Muhammad Hammad Nadeem Tahir2Shahid Iqbal3Muhammad Imran4Department of Agronomy, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of AgricultureDepartment of Agronomy, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of AgricultureInstitute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of AgricultureDepartment of Agronomy, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of AgricultureDepartment of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of AgricultureAbstract Aims The pseudocereal buckwheat has been recognized as short duration and nutrient dense crop, thus suitable for sustainable agriculture. Buckwheat grains are gluten free and provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Buckwheat is generally cultivated in hilly areas of Pakistan at higher elevation of 2500 m above sea level (a.s.l), while its area is declining in the past recent years. Keeping in view the importance of buckwheat, it requires to test the adaptability of buckwheat in other ecologies for its revival. Evaluation of a crop in new ecology particularly in low altitude (122 m a.s.l), requires optimization of sowing time for estimation of yield potential, crop phenology and grain nutritional profile. Therefore, performance of buckwheat was evaluated in response to variable sowing times in low altitude (122 m a.s.l) agroclimatic conditions of Multan, Pakistan. Methods Two well adapted buckwheat genotypes (Silverhull 24 and Japanese B + 0 IR-13) were sown over two consecutive growing seasons (2020-21 and 2021-22) with an interval of one month between sowing times (starting from the first week of October to February). The sowing time experiments were carried out in climatic conditions of Multan at the Research Farm of MNS University of Agriculture (30°9′54.79″N 71°29′48.72″E Multan, Pakistan). Results Genotype Silverhull-24 had higher grain yield (1.27 t ha-1) when sown on 1st February while genotype Japanese B + 0 IR-13 also yielded higher (1.24 t ha-1) when sown on 1st November. Both genotypes had lower grain yield when sown on 1st October. The higher ambient temperature (> 30 °C) at early crop developmental stages and excessive heat units during both growing years led to lowest yield, which shows the sensitivity of both genotypes to upper threshold temperature. A crop duration of 74.41 and 72.33 days after sowing (DAS) was estimated for February and November sowing times respectively, thus representing buckwheat as short duration crop. Furthermore, the average protein 15%, iron 3.06–3.90 mg/100 g and magnesium 344.6 mg/100 g concentrations were recorded which are generally higher than other major cereals. Conclusion Buckwheat found adaptable in low altitude of Multan, Pakistan under climatic conditions and genotype Japanese B + 0 IR-13 can be sown in early winter (1st week of November) while genotype Silverhull-24 in early spring (1st week of February). As this crop matures early (average 73 DAS) and therefore can be adjusted between autumn and spring sown crops i.e. Maize and sunflower. Buckwheat can be popularized as gluten free nutrient dense grain in this region.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07090-9AdaptabilityLow elevationPhenologyGrowing degree daysGrain nutritional profile |
| spellingShingle | Mahmood Alam Abdul Ghaffar Muhammad Hammad Nadeem Tahir Shahid Iqbal Muhammad Imran Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions BMC Plant Biology Adaptability Low elevation Phenology Growing degree days Grain nutritional profile |
| title | Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions |
| title_full | Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions |
| title_fullStr | Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions |
| title_short | Performance of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions |
| title_sort | performance of buckwheat fagopyrum esculentum moench in response to variable sowing time in low altitude conditions |
| topic | Adaptability Low elevation Phenology Growing degree days Grain nutritional profile |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-07090-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mahmoodalam performanceofbuckwheatfagopyrumesculentummoenchinresponsetovariablesowingtimeinlowaltitudeconditions AT abdulghaffar performanceofbuckwheatfagopyrumesculentummoenchinresponsetovariablesowingtimeinlowaltitudeconditions AT muhammadhammadnadeemtahir performanceofbuckwheatfagopyrumesculentummoenchinresponsetovariablesowingtimeinlowaltitudeconditions AT shahidiqbal performanceofbuckwheatfagopyrumesculentummoenchinresponsetovariablesowingtimeinlowaltitudeconditions AT muhammadimran performanceofbuckwheatfagopyrumesculentummoenchinresponsetovariablesowingtimeinlowaltitudeconditions |