Growing buckwheat is important for food security and healthy nutrition in Ukraine and around the world. The grain of this crop is an important source of protein, vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron and phosphorus. One of the key factors that plays an important role in buckwheat cultivation is the variety.
Determinant buckwheat varieties provide stable yields. They are characterized by uniform growth and simultaneous fruit formation, which allows for a more predictable harvest time. These varieties are popular among farmers because they reduce the cost of crop care and harvesting.
On the other hand, indeterminate buckwheat varieties provide a longer fruiting period and have the ability to continue to produce crops during a long growing season. This is useful in the context of global climate change, where adverse weather conditions can significantly affect the stability and level of yields. Indeterminate (conventional) varieties provide more flexible buckwheat cultivation, especially for farmers and in rural areas.
Choosing the optimal time and method of sowing buckwheat plays a key role in achieving high yields and ensuring the successful cultivation of this valuable cereal crop. Determining the appropriate sowing date depends on weather and climate conditions and regional characteristics. Buckwheat is a crop that can withstand cool conditions, so it is usually sown in the early spring to maximize the crop's moisture supply.
The sowing methods are also had to be taken into account according to the type of soil and its moisture content. The best way to sow buckwheat is to use a regular row seeding method. However, buckwheat is also sown in a wide-row method. Under such conditions, the crop's nutrition area increases and the seeding rate per unit area decreases, which, in turn, can positively affect the yield and economic efficiency of cultivation.
Fertilization of buckwheat with mineral fertilizers plays an important role in ensuring active growth and development of plants, as well as the formation of a high yield. Buckwheat, like many other crops, requires the right amount of nutrients for optimal growth and development.
One of the key mineral elements required for buckwheat is nitrogen. It promotes leaf and stem formation and increases yields. Phosphorus is essential for healthy root development and flower formation, which is a prerequisite for grain formation. Potassium also plays an important role in regulating the water balance of plants and increasing resistance to stressful conditions.
When choosing the optimal rate of fertilizer for buckwheat, it is important to take into account not only the needs of plants for specific nutrients, but also soil characteristics such as pH, humus content, fertility, etc.
Well-chosen mineral fertilizers contribute not only to buckwheat yields, but also to the optimal use of natural resources and environmental protection. They help to provide the plants with the necessary nutrients evenly and efficiently, which affects the quality and quantity of the crop, as well as the overall condition of the agroecosystem.
Taken together, all of the above factors play an important role in shaping the crop's yield. Therefore, the issue of choosing the best agricultural practices for growing buckwheat is extremely relevant.
To determine the optimal conditions for growing buckwheat of determinant and indeterminate varieties, a study was conducted at the Educational and Research and Production Center (ERPC) of Sumy National Agrarian University. The soil on which the experiment was laid out is a typical low-alkalized, low-humus medium loamy Chernozem on loess. The experiment was a five-factor experiment. In particular, one of the factors was the varieties Yaroslavna (determinant) and Slobozhanka (indeterminate). The next factor studied was the timing of sowing - early or recommended (generally accepted). The third factor was sowing methods, in particular, conventional row sowing (with a row spacing of 15 cm) and wide-row sowing (45 cm). Fertilizer doses were also studied, namely the half dose recommended for buckwheat, the dose calculated for the planned yield, and the proposed dose of fertilizer that was applied with additional fertilization during the critical phase of buckwheat vegetation. In recent years, in the conditions of the Northeastern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, buckwheat's predecessors have hardly been studied by scientists. Therefore, one of the main factors in our research was the predecessors, namely winter rye and annual grasses.
The study analyzed the germination and survival of plants of early maturing buckwheat varieties Slobozhanka and Yaroslavna. The results showed that both varieties had higher germination and survival rates at early sowing dates. However, the Yaroslavna variety showed better tolerance to environmental conditions, with a 3% higher survival rate compared to Slobozhanka. Both varieties had different germination rates.
