Chapter Thirty One - Applications of Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology in Buckwheat

Abstract

Two main species of buckwheat are produced worldwide. The first is common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), which is most commonly consumed, and the second is tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.), which is less commonly consumed because of its bitter taste. However, tartary buckwheat contains high protein, fiber, and vitamin B1, B2, and B6 contents and has more of the flavonoid rutin compared with common buckwheat. A number of studies have reported in vitro plant regeneration, plant transformation, and hairy root culture of buckwheat. In this review, we summarize previous and current information regarding the application of plant biotechnology in buckwheat cultivation and provide insights into future studies in this discipline.