Selecting improved buckwheat for the Northeast.
All North American breeding in the last 30 years has been done for the
northern Plains, mostly by Dr. Clayton Campbell in Morden, Manitoba. The
Northeast has a substantially different climate, and I am working with
Dr. Campbell to develop a variety that is more productive in this region.
Historically, there were over 500,000 acres of buckwheat in New York and
Pennsylvania, but other crops have experienced greater genetic improvement
and now have a stronger response to fertilizer. Current production in the
two states is approximately 25,000 acres, but demand exceeds supply.
Important traits are:
-
Rapid leaf development: to smother weeds and to give the plant a good canopy
before seed fill.
-
Concentrated seed set: most of the seeds are produced in the first 10 days
of flowering.
-
Large seeds for kasha and soba production: >80% over a #12 mesh.
-
High harvest index in large plants: overcome the tendency of plants to
become overly vegetative.
This program began in 1995, with selection done in several New York sites
using germplasm and crosses from Dr. Campbell.
Work to date has identified lines that are improved in all the desired
traits, and these are being developed further. In each year, the new variety
AC Manisoba has outperformed the standard variety Manor by about 10%.
This work is sponsored by The Birkett Mills of Penn Yan, NY.
Updated April 15, 1997
Thomas Björkman
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