Keukett shows vigorous early growth, which should overcome some of the sensitivity to compacted soil that presently hurts stands. It also shows lodging resistance, which should be of considerable value in increasing the harvested yield.
The seed of Keukett are shorter and rounder than those of Manor. The groat inside is the same size or a little larger. The hull is nearly black. This shape provides high test weight, easier cleaning, easy dehulling and good recovery.
Keukett was developed with the financial backing of the Birkett Mills, which provided support to both Kade Research and Cornell. The name is a combination of "Keuka Lake", where the mill is located and "Birkett." This variety, which is owned by Kade Research had been licensed to Birkett Mills.
On the other hand, at high elevations in New Yorkās southern tier, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, cold nights and short days help mature the crop uniformly, and the first frost is often well timed for harvest. Growers in these locations combine directly with great success.
Where swathing is useful, it also helps protect the crop from storms. When the crop is in a windrow, it will not shatter onto the ground. Wind and wind-driven rain are the main cause of shattering. It is essential to cut the crop high so that the swath is up off the ground. Windrows on the ground will sprout and mold. Late plantings and thin stands may be too short to swath effectively. Swathing is usually much faster than straight combining, which can be valuable if time is short.
One grower improvised a swather by blocking the rollers open on his
haybine. By cutting high and laying two swaths next to each other he can
pick up the equivalent of a 25 foot width with his combine. While heād
prefer a pick-up head, heās found a way to adjust the reel on his grain
head to pick up the swaths. These modifications of existing equipment are
a clever way to try swathing without investing new money.
The International Buckwheat Research Association sponsors an international
symposium every three years. The 7th Symposium brought this meeting to
North America for the first time. It was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Aug.
12-14, 1998. Hundreds of buckwheat researchers from around the word gathered
to learn of new advances on this crop. Below are some of the topics that
were discussed.
Participants from the world over agreed that early establishment is the key to suppressing weeds. Buckwheat must overtop the weeds to suppress them. Dry soil at planting slows buckwheat growth and can give weeds a head start. On the other hand, cold, wet conditions after planting favor the cool-season weeds and inhibit buckwheat. If the buckwheat stops growing, and the weeds get ahead, buckwheat will never catch up again. In countries where buckwheat is sown in the spring, weed control is a major concern.
The determinate character here is an advantage. Although it limits the
maximum yield to 30-40 bu/ac, the advantages are greater than the disadvantages.
Determinate buckwheat forms have been developed for Russia, where buckwheat
is grown farther north. These varieties grow more uniformly and have dramatically
higher yield. Growers in Tasmania, Australia originally tried to grow central-Japanese
varieties but they were too big and viny. When they used varieties from
farther north, the growth was determinate and the yields higher.
The Northeast will benefit from varieties selected for yielding well
as determinate plants.
The Yi tribe domesticated buckwheat, probably about 5000 years ago.
They grind the whole grain for flour to make loaves of heavy bread that
are baked in the colas of the fire.
Bin dryers designed for natural-air drying (no heat added) of wheat can be used for buckwheat. Damp buckwheat is placed in a bin that has a full perforated drying floor and the drying fan is operated continuously until the drying zone has moved completely through the bin and all buckwheat in the bin has dried to 13 to 16% moisture. Drying time depends on airflow, initial crop moisture, and weather. It usually takes several weeks.
Heated-air dryers can also be used to dry buckwheat. Keep the drying air temperature below about 110°F to avoid killing the germ, darkening the groat, or causing other seed damage. As soon as the buckwheat has dried to 16%, use unheated air either in the dryer or in storage to cool the grain to within 10°F of the outdoor temperature.
Another note on the drying temperature comes from Dr. Morita at Kagoshima
University. His group tested the aroma of buckwheat after drying at various
temperatures. Drying up to 95° preserved the aroma well, but at 105°,
the aroma was cut by half. Although aroma is not a major criterion in the
Northeast, this result does give an indication of what temperatures begin
to harm buckwheat.
Of particular interest is an on-line Buckwheat Production Guide for the Northeast. It has much basic information on raising buckwheat, as well as color photos of critical stages in buckwheat growth and harvest decisions. It is only available on the web. The address is: www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/ bjorkman/buck/Buck.html
If you want something on paper, the Birkett Mills production guide has recently been revised and is available from the company.
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