Evaluation of Fagopyrum esculentum Moench germplasm based on agro-morphological traits and the rutin and quercetin content of seeds under spring cultivation

Buckwheat is an important grain crop known for its nutritional value and content of bioactive compounds, particularly rutin. In this study, we characterized diverse Fagopyrum esculentum Moench germplasm for the diversity of agro-morphological characteristics and the rutin and quercetin content in seeds under the spring cultivation. Of the 251 germplasm accessions assessed, 193 had red stems, 182 had a pale brown seed coat color, and 238 had ovate seeds. The times taken to reach 50% flowering and 80% maturity ranged from 38–45 to 73–95 days, respectively. The 1000-seed weight (TSW) varied from 21 to 42 g. Overall, the content of rutin and quercetin ranged from 7.22–47.86 to 0–1.22 mg/100 g DW, respectively. The number of days to flowering and maturity showed negative correlations with TSW and rutin and quercetin content. However, we found that at 73–80 days after sowing, early-maturing germplasm had significantly higher mean rutin content than either intermediate-or late-maturing germplasm. The TSW weight showed a positive correlation with the content of rutin and quercetin. We identified promising accessions based early maturity (< 80 days), higher seed weight (≥ 35 g) and higher content of rutin (≥ 35 mg/100 g DW) and quercetin (≥ 1 mg/100 g DW). These accessions will help to enhance grain yield and the rutin and quercetin content in existing buckwheat cultivars for spring cultivation.