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Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tatricum)

Crop Impacts: Grain fields

Tartary Buckwheat 1

About Tartary Buckwheat:

Tartary Buckwheat originated from Asia, but we can now find this annual weed reproducing its seeds all throughout North America. It is an edible plant, to make tea from this plant people use the groats or the seeds of the plant. Tartary Buckwheat seeds can also be used to make gluten-free flower.

Family: Buckwheat or Smartweed Family (Polygonaceae)

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Tartary Buckwheat Scouting and Prevention:

Typically, Tartary Buckwheat stands erect at about 15 to 45 cm tall and green in colour. It has arrow-shaped leaves that are about 10 cm wide and tall. The flowers of the Tartary are small, green and cluster at the axels of leaves and the ends of stems, typically flowering in early summer. The seeds are triangular in shape, sandy-gray and have predominate lobes along the edges.

Common locations

  • - Grain fields
  • - Low fertile soil
  • - Cool weather

Prevention

Prevention of Tartary Buckwheat is less expensive and less time-consuming than trying to control it. Make sure when you are seeding a new area you are doing so with certified weed-free seeds. If there is an infested area on your property, be sure to drive around, instead of through it. Finally, make sure to give all equipment that has been in infested fields a good clean, to make sure no seeds are transferred.

Tartary Buckwheat Control:

Cultural Control

Delay seeding of crops to kill as much Tartary Buckwheat as possible. Light, early spring tillage will encourage the germination of the weed. 10 days after Tartary Buckwheat seedlings have started to grow, till again and then seed fields with desirable crops. Make sure you have high-yielding varieties of plants that are adaptable. Finally, the field should be planted in narrow rows, with high plant population as soon as ideal soil and weather conditions are met.

Chemical Control

Trying to control older and larger plants is much more difficult and time consuming, therefore, timely application is critical. Herbicides will be ineffective if applied when the plant is under stress. The herbicides will have more effect right before or right after rain due to the fact that the roots of the plants are taking in water at the time, which in turn means they will be taking in the herbicide as well.

Latin / Alternative Tartary Buckwheat names:

  • - Fagopyrum tatricum
  • - Duckwheat
  • - Indian Buckwheat
  • - India Wheat
  • - Green Buckwheat
  • - Bitter Buckwheat

Additional Tartary Buckwheat Resources

http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=3a15cce3-6bde-462a-837d-a58062b7aa81

http://www.weedsbc.ca/weed_desc/tartary.html

http://tcpermaculture.com/site/2014/02/05/permaculture-plants-buckwheat/

http://jiangtea.blog.com/2012/01/10/chinese-healthy-tea-tartary-buchwheat-tea/