Phenological phases of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Mnch.) in the primary and secondary crop depending on seeding rate

Dariusz Juszczak,Marian Wesołowski

doi:10.5586/aa.2011.063

Abstract

This paper presents the growth stages of buckwheat grown as a primary or secondary crop as well as using three seeding rates. A field experiment was conducted in the years 2003-2004 and in 2006 on podzolic soil derived from slightly loamy sand. Phenological observations were made at 5-day intervals, from the time of buckwheat emergence (in the primary crop around 28 May, in the secondary crop 7 June), on selected and properly marked plants. The buckwheat plants were harvested when more than 80% of buckwheat seeds on them were brown. The duration of particular growth stages of buckwheat are presented in phenological diagrams. It was found that crop rotation treatment and weather conditions affected significantly the time of occurrence of the phenological phases of buckwheat, but these phases were less dependent on seeding density. A rainfall deficit in 2006 caused a delay in particular growth stages compared to the previous years.

Highlights

Common buckwheat has a lot of advantages: it can be grown on poorer soils, has a short growing period, can be sown at different sowing times as a main or secondary crop as well as it is a melliferous plant and a valuable medicinal plant
A comparison of the data contained in the phenological diagrams and of the tabulated data shows that the type of crop changed buckwheat phenology most of all, while study years and seeding rates changed it to a smaller extent
As a result of abundance of rain and much lower temperatures, which were less dry, in the 1st decade of June full emergence of buckwheat was observed in the secondary crop already after eight days, faster by day than in the primary crop in the case of which sowing had been done during a post-drought period

Summary

Introduction

Common buckwheat has a lot of advantages: it can be grown on poorer soils, has a short growing period, can be sown at different sowing times as a main or secondary crop as well as it is a melliferous plant and a valuable medicinal plant. Many authors (Kreft , 1986; Kusiorska et al 1989) report that the flowering stage can be extended by using sparser sowing or by sowing seeds in wide rows. This results in the development of a larger number of firstand second-level branches as well as a larger number of inflorescences. The extension of this phase increases the probability of pollination by bees, and it promotes the number of properly developed seeds on a plant (Ruszkowski , 1986; 1988). Buckwheat is a plant that is neutral to day length, but the progress of particular stages is dependent on day length and sowing time (Ruszkowski , 1965)

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Methods

Conclusion