field selection
Buckwheat excels in medium and coarse soils but can have difficulty in heavy clay soil. Fields should be well drained as buckwheat does not do well in water logged soil. Manure laden or high nitrogen carry over seed beds may cause the crop to grow too lush and result in lots of leaf and stem but less seed.
Weed seed pressure should be low, or manageable with pre seed or pre emergence non selective herbicide control. Glyphosate/Carfentrazone mixes are registered for this use. Non selective herbicide should be timed to minimize the time lag from control to when the crop provides suppressive competition.
Seeding
All varieties listed in Seed Manitoba will perform well in the province. Some buyers have varietal preferences or offer production contracts that are variety specific.
Seed should be placed from 1 – 2.5 inches deep but only as deep as needed to find moderate moisture. Buckwheat absorbs seedbed moisture very efficiently. Normal seeding rates are 36-48 lb/ac. Target emerged populations are 13-17 plants/square ft. If buckwheat seeding rate charts are unavailable a good starting point to use is a barley chart and calibrate from there. Higher seeding rates may be beneficial to help suppress weeds or when seeding conditions are sub-optimal. Thin stands of buckwheat should be avoided as weed problems are more likely and herbicides options are few.
Buckwheat fits into direct seed and zero till cultural practices very well. Well timed herbicide applications to clear the field of weeds shortly before crop emergence are necessary. Buckwheat is very susceptible to spring frost. Seeding should take place late enough that emerged seedlings will not encounter frost, as such seed treatments for disease are not available or needed.
Fertility
Nitrogen
Over application can lead to lodging, seed set and harvest complications. Normally 40-60 lbs/ac. actual N is required. Previous crop and fertility application and uptake can greatly affect carry over N. Consideration of probable carry over should be made or a soil test done to determine available N.
Phosphorus
Normally 30-40 lb/ac. Is required.
Potassium
Manitoba’s calcareous soils do not normally require potassium application. When grown sandy or organic soils an application of 40-60 lbs/ac. may be needed.
Sulphur
Since available sulphur levels vary according to cropping history and location, a soil test is recommended. If required an application of 15 lb/ac. is normally applied.
weed control
Cultural practices and pre seed burn offs are the best weed control measures .
harvesting and storage
Buckwheat continues to flower in cool and moist conditions and generally flowers until a killing frost occurs. Often the first killing frost is not severe and destroys only the top canopy. If this is the case, it is advisable to let the remaining green seed fill by delaying swathing. By waiting, yields can be improved, but when 75 per cent seed maturity occurs (seed is brown to black), the buckwheat should be swathed. The yield gained from green seed filling after 75 per cent maturity has been attained is counteracted by losses from shattering.
Buckwheat can be safely stored at 16 per cent moisture. Combining the crop at slightly higher moisture will results in less shattering. Grain drying or aerating may be necessary.
