Yield performance of two buckwheat genotypes grown as a full-season and stubble-crop

Abstract

Traditional way of growing buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum L.) in Slovenia is stubble-crop production, but grown as a full-season crop it yields more. Genotypes that are adapted to stubble-crop system may not necessarily be the best adapted for the full-season crop. The objective of this study was to determine yield performance of two buckwheat genotypes under stubble-crop and full-season production system. The experiments (randomised block design) were conducted in Podravje region with two common determinant buckwheat genotypes (land race population and cultivar Darja) in 1997 and 1998. Buckwheat grown as a full-season crop had a greater leaf area index, more flower clusters, more developed seeds and 42% higher yield than the stubble-crop buckwheat. Although cultivar Darja had 10% less flower clusters than the land race population, the number of flowers and the number of developed grains were higher. The 35% higher grain yield of cultivar Darja was associated with larger leaf area index than land race population (4.0 vs. 2.3). Cultivar Darja outperformed the land race population under full-season crop production, whereas the yield difference between the two varieties was not significant under the stubble-crop production. These results suggest that the best yielding buckwheat genotypes should be determined separately for stubble-crop and/or full-season production system.