Tartary Buckwheat: A Climate-Ready Crop for the Future
易胜博官网 researchers evaluate the USDA collection of Tartary buckwheat as first step toward new crop for regional farmers
Thursday, October 19, 2023
  • Noah Abasciano holds a hand of mature Tartary buckwheat seeds.

    Abasciano and Hale spent this fall harvesting the Tartary buckwheat seeds by hand. The grain, which is gluten free, has several favorable nutritional properties, including twice the amount of protien found in most common grains and high levels of a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant plant pigment known as rutin.

  • 易胜博官网 master鈥檚 student Noah Abasciano stands in a plot of mature and maturing Tartary buckwheat plants.

    易胜博官网 master鈥檚 student Noah Abasciano stands in a plot of mature and maturing Tartary buckwheat plants being grown at the 易胜博官网 Woodman Horticultural Research Farm in Durham. Abasciano, along with associate professor and plant breeder Iago Hale, are developing a breeding and growing program at 易胜博官网 for Tartary buckwheat, an underutilized and lesser-known relative of common buckwheat.

  • A plot of mature and maturing Tartary buckwheat plants located at 易胜博官网鈥檚 Woodman Horticultural Research Farm.

    Abasciano and Hale began the Tartary buckwheat breeding and growing program this past winter. Over the summer, they grew 78 genetically diverse lines听of Tartary buckwheat at the Woodman Horticultural Research Farm.

  • Noah Abasciano tends to a plot of newly planted Tartary buckwheat.

    For this first growing season of Tartary buckwheat, Abasciano and Hale planted plots at three different times throughout the summer to determine how daylight would impact growth rates. With each planting, they sowed seeds from all 78 genetic lines that they're testing.

  • New Tartary buckwheat plants grown in a square. Plants of the same genetic lines were grown in 鈥渟quares鈥� within the larger plots.

    Tartary buckwheat鈥檚 short window of maturity (60-90 days) means the researchers can plant several successive genetic lines in the same year to test for key attributes they seek in a line ideal for commercialization.

Research Goal:

Develop regionally adapted varieties and production guidelines for Tartary buckwheat and support its adoption by Northeast farmers.

Key Terms:

Neglected and underutilized crop species (NUCS):

Plant species of potential use in the food system that are not widely grown due to a historical lack of concerted research investment.

Plant germplasm:

A diverse collection of plant genetic resources, usually in the form of seeds or clonally propagated plants, used for research, breeding, and conservation efforts.

Pseudograin (or pseudocereal):

Any non-grass plant whose seeds are used the way true grains (or cereals) are, including being ground into flour. Pseudograins generally exhibit superior nutritional profiles compared to the true grains. Familiar examples of psuedograins include quinoa, amaranth, and common buckwheat.

Rutin:

A plant pigment found in many fruits and vegetables that has been shown to have , including as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory Among food crops, Tartary buckwheat has some of the highest concentrations of rutin, .

Self-compatible:

Plants that can set seed using their own pollen. Self-pollination is also referred to as in-breeding and can result in seeds that are true-to-type, giving rise to new plants that are genetically identical to the parental plant. Tartary buckwheat is a self-compatible plant.

Self-incompatible:

Plants incapable of self-pollination and therefore requiring pollen from another individual of the same species for successful fertilization and reproduction. This mating system is referred to as outcrossing or hybridization, and it results in seeds that are not true-to-type. Common buckwheat is an example of a self-incompatible plant.

Tartary Buckwheat Deep Dive

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is native to and was first cultivated in Central Asia. It鈥檚 well adapted to cooler climates, thriving at higher altitudes, and has traditionally been grown in high-altitude areas of Nepal, Bhutan, southern China, and India. Renowned for its nutritional value, this gluten-free pseudo-grain is a good source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins (such as B vitamins), and minerals like magnesium and manganese. It鈥檚 especially prized for its antioxidant qualities and is often used in traditional medicine to improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation.听

Tartary buckwheat is increasingly recognized as a climate-resilient or climate-ready crop. A hardy plant, it can grow in different soil types, including low-nutrient soils, and has a short season, taking just 70-90 days to mature. It鈥檚 relatively drought tolerant, requiring little to no irrigation; can grow in mountainous areas; and has few pests and diseases compared to other cash crops grown on larger scales. In the U.S., Tartary buckwheat is grown on just a handful of farms, mainly in northern states where growing seasons are shorter. It鈥檚 largely grown as a specialty crop by farmers interested in its health benefits.

Also known as green buckwheat, bitter buckwheat, Himalayan buckwheat, and many other names, Tartary buckwheat is in the same genus as common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and shares some of its growth characteristics and nutritional qualities. However, Tartary buckwheat contains approximately 40 times the amount of rutin than common buckwheat. Additionally, because of the difference in the reproductive systems of the two species (inbreeding vs. outcrossing), developing improved varieties and studying the genetics of key traits for commercial cultivation is relatively easier in Tartary buckwheat.

易胜博官网 researchers are using advanced science to address challenges facing Northeast growers as a result of climate change. New research from , (NHAES) scientist and associate professor, and Noah Abasciano, master鈥檚 student in 易胜博官网鈥檚 , is seeking to identify an ideal grain crop for the Northeast 鈥� one that can be a staple in diets, offers significant nutritional benefits, provides price premiums for 易胜博官网 producers, and is highly resilient to the increasingly variable and unpredictable weather in the region. And the research team of Hale and Abasciano believe they have an excellent candidate鈥攁n underutilized and lesser-known crop known as Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), a relative of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) but one with unique qualities that make it suitable for production on a wide variety of soil types and quality across a broad range of climactic conditions.

Tartary Buckwheat: A Climate-resilient Crop

Volatile and at times record-breaking weather听in and in has been devastating for many 易胜博官网 farmers. And while Granite State producers will undoubtedly recover and continue sustaining the regional food systems that depend on 易胜博官网鈥檚 agricultural production, were certainly a reminder that there can never be too many tools in farmers鈥� toolboxes for resilient food production. Tartary buckwheat, with its preference for cooler climates and ability to grow quickly (in just a few months) and with limited water, makes the plant ideal for the region and for fluctuating weather patterns.

Currently, Tartary buckwheat is grown commercially on only a handful of U.S. farms and almost entirely in northern states with cool climates and shorter growing seasons. In mountainous sections of Southern China and other Asian countries, Tartary buckwheat is much more common and is prized for its nutritional value, as well as its growing ability in poor quality soil in which most other crops won鈥檛 survive.

鈥淭he 2022 growing season was hot and extremely dry, taxing the irrigation capacity of many of our region鈥檚 farms,鈥� described Hale. 鈥淎nd this year [2023]? It鈥檚 been so wet that farmers struggled to get onto their fields in time for planting.鈥�

鈥淎 species like Tartary buckwheat is climate-ready in the sense that it tolerates extreme temperatures (heat and cold) and extreme moisture regimes (drought and saturation),鈥� Hale added. 鈥淚t matures fast, giving producers flexibility in integrating it into their cropping systems. It also establishes quickly, outcompeting weeds, and grows in poor soils without demanding costly inputs.鈥�

In addition to its climate resiliency characteristics, Tartary buckwheat (like common buckwheat) is gluten free and contains more than double the amount of protein found in common grains, as well as high levels of essential amino acids, minerals, and one of the highest levels of the plant pigment known as rutin. Rutin has strong and has been shown to improve blood vessel health and decrease arthritis. Additionally, it鈥檚 been linked to decreases in and .

鈥淚n its native region, beyond its use as a delicious and nutrient-dense grain, Tartary buckwheat has long been recognized as a functional food鈥攎eaning a food that benefits one鈥檚 health in ways we usually only associate with medicine,鈥� Hale added.

A New Plant Breeding Program at 易胜博官网

易胜博官网 graduate student Noah Abasciano (left) and associate professor Iago Hale discuss the Tartary buckwheat breeding program during the fall horticultural research field day event.

易胜博官网 graduate student Noah Abasciano (left) and associate professor Iago Hale discuss the Tartary buckwheat breeding and planting program during the NH Agricultural Experiment Station鈥檚 horticultural research field day held in September 2023.

Hale and Abasciano began their work by requesting seed of the full collection of 78 diverse Tartary buckwheat accessions (genetically distinct plants) maintained by the USDA and then growing them in the in the fall of 2022. In the spring of 2023, they sowed small plots of the same germplasm collection at , allowing them a first look at their performance in the field in addition to evaluating each accession鈥檚 response to different sowing dates (late spring, early summer, and mid-summer).

鈥淎 species like Tartary buckwheat is climate-ready in the sense that it tolerates extreme temperatures and extreme moisture regimes...It matures fast, giving producers flexibility in integrating it into their cropping systems.鈥� ~ Iago Hale, associate professor, agriculture, nutrition and food systems

Tartary buckwheat鈥檚 ability to grow rapidly鈥攊n just a few months鈥攁llows the researchers to quickly identify accessions with desirable characteristics for breeding into an improved variety. In theory, the ability of the species to self-pollinate (unlike common buckwheat, which cross pollinates) will facilitate the development of structured breeding populations and, ultimately, improved varieties. This study represents the first characterization of the USDA鈥檚 Tartary buckwheat germplasm collection and, partly because of the limited research done on the species鈥攅specially in the U.S.鈥擧ale and Abasciano must first determine what those desired traits are.

鈥淚t鈥檚 early in the breeding process, so we鈥檙e still trying to figure out the characteristics that would be important to commercial production,鈥� said Abasciano. 鈥淗owever, two things we鈥檙e looking at鈥攖hat our partners at the , which provided the initial seeds, asked us to study鈥攁re plant lodging and seed shattering.鈥�

The ideal plant would be short, germinate seeks quickly, produce lots of seeds that stay attached to the plant (i.e., does not shatter easily), and does not fall over (or lodge) easily.

鈥淚n this first look at the collection, we've been excited to see lines exhibiting some of those characteristics,鈥� added Abasciano. 鈥淏ut of course, no one line has the complete package. But that鈥檚 where breeding comes in鈥攚e鈥檒l pick the ones with good height and low lodging and shattering and try to combine them.鈥�

For now, at this small research scale, careful harvesting takes place by hand. However, when grown at a commercial scale, the plants could be harvested with traditional small grain harvesting equipment.

Plant breeding is a lengthy process, especially for a crop like Tartary buckwheat, which has seen limited prior work, explained Hale. Despite the plant's short generation cycle, a project of this scale will still require a decade or more to complete.

鈥淭here are questions that we need to ask, questions that this project could address,鈥� said Hale. 鈥淨uestions like, 'What will we be growing in this region a generation from now, amid unprecedented climate stress?' and 'What options will our growers have, and what preparations must be made to ensure those options are available when needed?'鈥�

What is Climate Resilient Farming/Climate Resilient Agriculture?

Climate-resilient agriculture refers to . Climate change is causing shifts in weather patterns, increased temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and an increased frequency of extreme weather events, all of which can have significant impacts on agriculture. Climate-resilient agriculture aims to minimize these impacts and ensure the long-term sustainability of food production.

Some key components of climate-resilient agriculture include:

  • Crop and Variety Selection: Farmers choose crop varieties that are better suited to the changing climate conditions, such as drought-resistant or heat-tolerant crops. These varieties are often developed through breeding programs.
  • Soil Health: Enhancing soil health through practices like conservation tillage, crop rotation, and the use of organic matter can improve the soil's ability to retain water and nutrients, making it more resilient to climate-related stresses.
  • Diversification: Diversifying crops and livestock can reduce the risk associated with climate-related challenges. Crop diversity can help ensure that at least some crops thrive under changing conditions.
  • Adaptive Pest and Disease Management: Monitoring and early detection of pests and diseases, along with the use of integrated pest management strategies, can reduce crop losses due to changing conditions.
  • Infrastructure and Technology: Investing in resilient infrastructure, such as climate-resilient storage facilities and transportation systems, and adopting technology like precision agriculture can improve overall farm resilience.
  • Capacity Building: Providing farmers with training and education on climate-smart practices and techniques is essential for successful adoption.

Climate-resilient agriculture not only but also contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing resource-use efficiency and reducing deforestation and land degradation. It is an essential component of sustainable agriculture in a world facing the challenges of climate change.

This material is based on work supported by the through joint funding from the (under Hatch award number 7005933) and the state of 易胜博官网.

Photographer: 
Nicholas Gosling '06 | COLSA/NH Agricultural Experiment Station | nicholas.gosling@unh.edu
Contributors: 
Alexandra Hatch | 易胜博官网 Marketing | Alexandra.Hatch@unh.edu
NH Agricultural Experiment Station

Related Links

Related Articles