Evaluación en diferentes condiciones de germinación y crecimiento inicial de trigo sarraceno (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench)

Abstract

Buckwheat, pseudocereal wheat valued for the absence of gluten in its grains and for its important nutritional composition, has been evaluated in the Lower Valley of Río Negro (VIRN) with satisfactory results of adaptability to the environmental conditions of the site. Given the limited information that precedes this work guide the research to the early stages of buckwheat growth under different laboratory-generated environmental conditions. Five trials were developed. Four of them are in the germination stage, where the response of the seed to temperature variation, saline and water stress, and planting depth were evaluated. The last trial was carried out at the seedling stage and the response of the crop to different irrigation frequencies was studied. When evaluating different types of stress in the initial stages of the crop, we sought to gather useful information for possible situations to be found in the VIRN. In it, there is variability of soils, it is feasible to find sites with salinity and, a weight to contain of a quality water resource, an efficient use of it is necessary. Among the most outstanding results we can include the cultivation presenting germination percentages in a temperature range between 15 and 35 ° C. The optimum germination was identified at 30 ° C. In relation to saline stress, as the concentration of sodium chloride in the germination medium increased, their capacity and germination energy decreased. Likewise, it is important to highlight the tolerance to saline stress observed since, germination percentages of up to 80% were found with concentrations of 0.25 M. With regard to water stress during germination, simulated with polyethylene glycol, a decrease in the percentage of germination was observed from water potentials below -0.5 Mpa. The planting depth was relevant in establishing the seedlings of a crop. For the type of soil used in this work, the depth of 2 cm was identified as the optimum for sowing this crop. In general, variables such as: plant height, length and root dry matter were reduced with increasing planting depth. In the seedling irrigation frequency test, it was observed that more time-spaced irrigation showed a tendency to reduce morphometric variables (height,root length, number of leaves and leaf area). Under the experimental conditions, an optimal period of 4 days between irrigations was identified. The information found in these experiments is considered relevant to achieve optimal crop establishment and even interpret the effect of environmental conditions on the first stages of growth. These results provide references at the local and experimental level where the lack of information related to the cultivation of buckwheat was evidenced.