Forage and grain yield of common buckwheat in Mediterranean conditions: Response to sowing time and irrigation

With the view to extending the cultivation of common buckwheat to Mediterranean environments, we investigated the responses of two varieties to three sowing times, early spring, late spring and late summer, in rainfed and irrigated conditions. Plants were harvested at two ripening stages for forage production and at maturity for grain yield. The crop cycle lasted 82-88 days independent of sowing time, whereas the thermal time was ∼1000 degree-days in early spring and late summer sowings, and 1200 degree-days when sown in late spring. Forage yield increased up to 75% between ripening stages. Early spring was the best sowing time for forage (4tha-1 dry weight) and grain yield (2tha-1 dry weight) in rainfed conditions. Late spring sowings give the highest forage yield when irrigated (6tha-1 dry weight), but were not suitable for producing grain, for the adverse effect of high summer temperatures on seed set and seed filling. Late summer sowings produced acceptable grain yield (1.5tha-1 dry weight), whereas short days and low temperatures limited forage production. Thus, in Mediterranean environments, buckwheat could be profitably introduced as a minor summer crop, sown in early spring for grain production and in late spring for forage production.