Differentiation of buckwheat cultivars (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) by yield structure elements and productivity under the conditions of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

The results of a three-year research (2023–2025) of 31 common buckwheat varieties (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) of different ecological and geographical origins under the conditions of the Eastern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine are presented. The peculiarities of the formation of plant height, number of leaves and inflorescences, plant productivity, thousand-kernel weight, number of kernels per plant, and kernel set were investigated. The determining role of growth type in shaping plant architecture and productivity was established.

It was found that productivity is formed mainly due to the number of kernels per plant and kernel set (r = 0.95), whereas thousand-kernel weight is a relatively stable trait (V = 7.5%). According to the results of k-means clustering, a group of intensive-type varieties was identified, characterized by the highest average values within the cluster for plant productivity (2.4 g), number of kernels (85.7 pcs.), thousand-kernel weight (27.9 g), and kernel set (3.8).

The varieties ‘Pidmoskovna T’, ‘M NF-84B’, ‘Mariia’, ‘Sumchanka’, ‘Roksolana’, ‘Krupynka’, ‘Selianochka’, and ‘Simka’ were identified as promising sources of valuable traits for further breeding aimed at improving productivity and thousand-kernel weight.