In vitro inhibitory effects of polyphenols from Fagopyrum tataricum (L.)Gaertn. on starch-digesting enzymes: Action mechanism, isothermal titration calorimetry, and molecular docking analysis.

The effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) was studied at concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 μM on the following physiological and biochemical characteristics of the suspension culture of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.): growth, morphogenesis, the content of phenolic compounds (PC), and antioxidant activity (AOA). Qualitative and quantitative HPLC analysis of PC revealed that the dark-grown suspension culture of tartary buckwheat synthesizes rutin, quercitrin, epicatechin, ferulic and p-coumaric acids, with rutin being the most abundant component. It was shown that MeJA had no inhibitory effect on growth of suspension culture and stimulated the formation of PC, especially in media supplemented with 1 and 10 μM MeJA. At increasing concentrations of MeJA, the accumulation of PC was accompanied by the decline in AOA, which was probably due to the development of oxidative stress in the suspension culture. MeJA at a concentration of 10 μM stimulated slightly the growth of biomass; however, after the passage in the medium with 10 μM MeJA, the suspension culture almost lost its ability to form embryoids on the hormone-free medium. Cultivation of cells in the medium supplemented with 10 μM MeJA not only elevated the total content of PC but also modified their qualitative composition and the content of individual PC. The epicatechin content was higher than in the control culture throughout the whole passage; the increase in the content of p-coumaric acid and rutin was noted between the 4th and 8th days, and quercitrin content increased on the 8–14th day. Synthesis of these compounds was activated not by the end of the passage, as it occurred in the control culture, but at earlier stages of culture growth. The intracellular level of ferulic acid increased sharply on the 4th day of cultivation, while control cultures contained only trace quantities of this substance. It was found that MeJA activated biosynthesis of individual PC to different extents: the accumulation of epicatechin, p-coumaric and ferulic acids was more significant than that of rutin and quercitrin. In addition to the peaks of identified PC, MeJA stimulated the appearance of new compounds that were absent or weakly evident in the control culture.

Preparation, physicochemical characterization, and in vitro starch digestibility on complex of Euryale ferox kernel starch with ferulic acid and quercetin

Sulphur interferes with selenium accumulation in Tartary buckwheat plants

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn) is an important underutilized coarse cereal, grown for its excellent nutritional, health value and therapeutic effects. Despite its growing demand, there are limited studies that have focused on its genotypic variability and genotype-environmental interaction (GEI), particularly in the North-Western Himalayas. This study evaluated 24 Tartary buckwheat genotypes across five specific test environments (E1-E5) for 9 agronomic and 6 nutritional traits to estimate the effects of genotype (G), environment (E) and their interaction (GEI) using Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI), Genotype and Genotype × Environment Interaction (GGE) biplot, Weighted Average of Absolute Scores (WAAS), Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) and the Multi-Trait Stability Index. The results revealed significant GEI effects for all the evaluated traits. High heritability and genetic advance as a percentage of the mean for number of seeds per plant and seed yield per plant, suggested strong potential for genetic improvement. Based on mean performance, AMMI, WAAS, WAASBY and GGE analysis, genotypes G2, G13, G19, G1, G15 and G23 were found fairly stable alongside superior trait performance and nutritional content. Environmental analysis highlighted E2, E5 and E4 at Palampur (H.P.), as the most representative and discriminating environments. Multi-trait stability index analysis identified genotypes G2, G13, G1 and G19 as the most stable and ideal. These findings provide critical insights into the adaptability and performance of buckwheat genotypes under diverse agro-climatic conditions. Hence, these genotypes can serve as valuable resources for breeding programs aimed at developing high-yielding, nutritionally enhanced Tartary buckwheat varieties suitable for the North-Western Himalayan region.

The cultivation of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) has a long history in Liangshan, China. Tartary buckwheat serves as a staple food for Yi people. Various ethnic culture, traditional knowledge and local seed systems contribute to maintaining the diversity of Tartary buckwheat landraces. Thirty-five villages in two counties were investigated, and one of the villages was selected for this case study. The landraces and local names, field management, associated rituals on festivals associated, and seed systems were investigated. Market surveys were also conducted. Thirteen Tartary buckwheat landraces were recorded with vernacular names. Folk nomenclature and taxonomy were mainly based on the seed shape, size, color and maturation period. Depending on their indigenous knowledge and experiences, the Yi people select multiple landraces for cultivation to cope with climate changes and different altitudes. Planting different Tartary buckwheat landraces also staggers the harvest, and meets different taste preferences. The Yi use various seed sources and traditional seed systems. In addition, Tartary buckwheat plays an important role in many Yi rituals in the study area. All landraces of Tartary buckwheat were made into the same simple product for the marketplaces due to inadequate understanding of their characteristics. This homogenization of Tartary buckwheat is not beneficial for the conservation of Tartary buckwheat landraces. Overall, local Yi people conserve Tartary buckwheat landraces and cultivate multiple landraces to maintain their diversity. The traditional knowledge, folk seed system and sociocultural norms contributed great influence on the diversity and on-farm conservation of Tartary buckwheat landraces.

Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn (tartary buckwheat) is an excellent medicinal and nutrient-rich crop. It has a high content of rutin and other phenolic compounds. An experiment was conducted to investigate in vitro production of phenolic compounds from hairy root culture of tartary buckwheat. Hairy root growth was promoted by increasing culture time in MS medium. The highest hairy root growth reached up to 11.2 g/l dry weight at 18 d after placement. Transformation was confirmed by PCR using rol genes, rol A (304 bp), B (797 bp), C (550 bp), and D (1035 bp) genes which is transferred into hairy roots from the Ri-plasmid in Agrobacterium rhizogenes and is responsible for the induction of hairy root from plant species. Rutin, quercetin, (−) epicatechin, (−) catechin hydrate, gallic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid were identified both in hairy and wild type roots of tartary buckwheat. The main compound found in the both types of root was epicatechin followed by rutin. The concentration of phenolic compounds in the hairy roots of tartary buckwheat was several-fold higher compared with wild type roots of same species. Our results indicate that hairy root culture of F. tataricum is a valuable alternative approach for the production of phenolic compounds.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) and common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) are important sources of proteins with balanced amino-acid compositions, and thus of high nutritional value. The polyphenols naturally present in Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat lower the true digestibility of the proteins. Digestion-resistant peptides are a vehicle for fecal excretion of steroids, and in this way, for bile acid elimination and reduction of cholesterol concentrations in serum. Buckwheat proteins are more effective compared to soy proteins for the prevention of gallstone formation. Tartary and common buckwheat grain that contains appropriate amounts of selenium-containing amino acids can be produced as functional food products. The protein-rich by-products of buckwheat are a good source of bioactive substances that can suppress colon carcinogenesis by reducing cell proliferation. The grain embryo is a rich source of proteins, so breeding buckwheat with larger embryos is a possible strategy to increase protein levels in Tartary and common buckwheat grain. However, chemical analysis of the grain is the most relevant criterion for assessing grain protein levels and quality.

Cell wall-bound phenolics in cells of maize ( Zea mays, Gramineae) and buckwheat ( Fagopyrum tataricum, Polygonaceae) with different plant regeneration abilities

Tartary buckwheat has attracted more attention than common buckwheat due to its unique chemical composition and higher efficacy in the prevention of various diseases. The content of flavonoids in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn) is higher than that in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench). However, the processing process of Tartary buckwheat is complex, and the cost is high, which leads to the frequent phenomenon of common buckwheat counterfeiting and adulteration in Tartary buckwheat, which seriously damages the interests of consumers and disrupts the market order. In order to explore a new and simple identification method for Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat, this article uses metabolomics technology based on GC-MS to identify Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat. The results show that the PLS-DA model can identify Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat, as well as Tartary buckwheat from different regions, without an over-fitting phenomenon. It was also found that ascorbate and aldarate metabolism was the main differential metabolic pathway between Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat, as well as the amino acids biosynthesis pathway. This study provides a new attempt for the identification of Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat for the quality control of related agricultural products.

We aimed to elucidate the physiological and biochemical mechanism by which exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) alleviates salt stress toxicity in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn). Tartary buckwheat “Chuanqiao-2” under 150 mmol·L−1 salt (NaCl) stress was treated with 5 or 10 mmol·L−1 H2O2, and seedling growth, physiology and biochemistry, and related gene expression were studied. Treatment with 5 mmol·L−1 H2O2 significantly increased plant height (PH), fresh and dry weights of shoots (SFWs/SDWs) and roots (RFWs/RDWs), leaf length (LL) and area (LA), and relative water content (LRWC); increased chlorophyll a (Chl a) and b (Chl b) contents; improved fluorescence parameters; enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and content; and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Expressions of all stress-related and enzyme-related genes were up-regulated. The F3′H gene (flavonoid synthesis pathway) exhibited similar up-regulation under 10 mmol·L−1 H2O2 treatment. Correlation and principal component analyses showed that 5 mmol·L−1 H2O2 could significantly alleviate the toxic effect of salt stress on Tartary buckwheat. Our results show that exogenous 5 mmol·L−1 H2O2 can alleviate the inhibitory or toxic effects of 150 mmol·L−1 NaCl stress on Tartary buckwheat by promoting growth, enhancing photosynthesis, improving enzymatic reactions, reducing membrane lipid peroxidation, and inducing the expression of related genes.

Comparative metabolomics study of Tartary (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn) and common (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) buckwheat seeds

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.), classified as a food and herbal medicinal crop, offers substantial nutritional benefits but suffers from poor yields and quality. Studies indicate that Serendipita indica positively impacts Tartary buckwheat's yield and quality, yet the underlying processes remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to examine the genetic transcript of Tartary buckwheat in both colonized and uncolonized S. indica. It was discovered that the pathway for producing phenylpropanoids in Tartary buckwheat, both in colonized and uncolonized S. indica, both in colonized and uncolonized S. indica, was found to be enriched in KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes). Genetic expression analysis of lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways in colonized S. indica showed a comparison between lignin biosynthesis pathway genes in colonized S. indica and those in uncolonized S. indica in Tartary buckwheat. Research revealed a decrease in certain genes linked to lignin synthesis and an increase in others associated with flavonoid biosynthesis in both colonized and uncolonized S. indica Tartary buckwheat. Furthermore, research revealed a reduction in lignin levels in Tartary buckwheat stems and seeds both colonized and uncolonized by S. indica, in contrast to an increase in flavonoid levels in leaves and seeds of Tartary buckwheat colonized and uncolonized by the same fungi. Findings indicate that the process of synthesizing lignin and flavonoids could offer valuable insights into how S. indica enhances Tartary buckwheat's yield and quality.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) is a coarse grain crop rich in flavonoids that are beneficial to human health because they function as anti-inflammatories and provide protection against cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Flavonoid biosynthesis is a complex process, and relatively little is known about the regulatory pathways involved in Tartary buckwheat. Here, we cloned and characterized the FtMYB163 gene from Tartary buckwheat, which encodes a member of the R2R3-MYB transcription factor family. Amino acid sequence and phylogenetic analysis indicate that FtMYB163 is a member of subgroup 7 (SG7) and closely related to FeMYBF1, which regulates flavonol synthesis in common buckwheat (F. esculentum). We demonstrated that FtMYB163 localizes to the nucleus and has transcriptional activity. Expression levels of FtMYB163 in the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds of F. tataricum were positively correlated with the total flavonoid contents of these tissues. Overexpression of FtMYB163 in transgenic Arabidopsis enhanced the expression of several genes involved in early flavonoid biosynthesis (AtCHS, AtCHI, AtF3H, and AtFLS) and significantly increased the accumulation of several flavonoids, including naringenin chalcone, naringenin-7-O-glucoside, eriodictyol, and eight flavonol compounds. Our findings demonstrate that FtMYB163 positively regulates flavonol biosynthesis by changing the expression of several key genes in flavonoid biosynthetic pathways.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) originates in mountain regions of Western China, and is cultivated in China, Bhutan, Northern India, Nepal, and Central Europe. The content of flavonoids in Tartary buckwheat grain and groats is much higher than in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), and depends on ecological conditions, such as UV-B radiation. Buckwheat intake has preventative effects in chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, due to its content of bioactive substances. The main bioactive compounds in Tartary buckwheat groats are flavonoids (rutin and quercetin). There are differences in the bioactivities of buckwheat groats obtained using different husking technologies, based on husking raw or pretreated grain. Husking hydrothermally pretreated grain is among the traditional ways of consuming buckwheat in Europe and some parts of China and Japan. During hydrothermal and other processing of Tartary buckwheat grain, a part of rutin is transformed to quercetin, the degradation product of rutin. By adjusting the humidity of materials and the processing temperature, it is possible to regulate the degree of conversion of rutin to quercetin. Rutin is degraded to quercetin in Tartary buckwheat grain due to the enzyme rutinosidase. The high-temperature treatment of wet Tartary buckwheat grain is able to prevent the transformation of rutin to quercetin.

Molecular characterisation and the light–dark regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis in sprouts of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.)