Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.): Concepts, Prospects and Potential

Abstract

Buckwheat is grown throughout a large area of Asia and Southeast Asia as a crop. Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a crop of secondary importance in many countries. The crop is not a cereal, but the seeds are usually classified among the cereal grains because of their similar usage. The protein of buckwheat is of excellent quality and is high in the essential amino acid lysine, unlike common cereals. Common buckwheat contains high nutritive substances (63% carbohydrate, 11.7% protein, 2.4% fat, 9.9% fiber, 11% water and 2% minerals). Common buckwheat is also important as a nectariferous and pharmaceutical plant, which contains rutin, its consumption has increased tremendously. The review, which covers the progress, concepts, prospects and potential of buckwheat, is divided into two major parts. The main part covers concepts about genetics, tissue culture, hybridization, self-pollination, molecular markers and proteomics. The section on prospects and potential deals with the development of technologies linked to hybridization and proteomics. Finally, we provide a vision for buckwheat.