Fagopyrum 35: 29-35 (2018) 
 
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Research paper  
 
Formation of buckwheat genepool collection in 
Ukraine and directions of its usage 
 
Oleh TRYHUB*1, Vitaliy BURDYGA2, Yuriy KHARCHENKO1, 
Ruslan HAVRYLYANCHYK2 
 
1 Ustymivska Experimental Station of Plant Production, Ustymivka, Poltavska reg., Ukraine 
2 Research Institute of Cereals them. Olena Alekseeva, Podolsky State Agricultural and 
Technical University, Kamenetz Podolsky, Ukraine 
* Corresponding author: PhD. Oleh Tryhub Oleh 
Ustymivska Experimental Station of Plant Production of Plant Production Institute nd. V.Ya. 
Yuryev of NAAS of Ukraine, Ustymivka, Poltavska reg., Ukraine 
Tel. +38 066 7261363, E-mail: Trygub_oleg@ukr.net 
DOI https://doi.org/10.3986/fag0005 
Received June 12, 2018; accepted July 6, 2018 
Keywords: buckwheat, genepool, collection, accesses, agronomic traits 
 
ABSTRACT 
 
The national collection of buckwheat in Ukraine consists of more than 2,000 samples. The 
material is studied, reproduced and preserved in special storage facilities with controlled environmental 
conditions and temperature, humidity of grain in the hermetic containers. The research work, 
conducted over the genepool, has allowed separating the source of valuable for selection treats: high 
yield and productivity, large grain, low-growing plant, high seedling vigor, resistance towards 
abscission and impact of abiotic and biotic environmental factors. As a result of the fulfilling research 
program "Plant genetic resources" following actions are conducted annually: allocation of 10-15 
sources of selection and agronomic traits of plant productivity, grain quality, adaptability of the material, 
etc .; software research and breeding facilities standards, sources and donors of valuable traits for 
breeding and other research - about 100 collection samples; transmission of 1-2 educational collections 
(30-50 samples) to educational institutions.  
 
 
 
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INTRODUCTION 
Ukraine is one of the TOP 5 producers of 
buckwheat in the world. Anually 150,000 sq. 
hectares are used to grow buckwheat, and its 
yield is about 1.2-1.5 tons per hectare (Fig.1) 
(Maslak, 2017). Only one species - buckwheat 
common Fagopyrum esculentum Moench -. is 
grown industrially. Environmental and climatic 
conditions on most territory of Ukraine are very 
favorable for buckwheat cultivation (summer 
temperatures, humidity during spring and 
summer periods). In order to gain the highest 
yield possible, the main factor is the cultivation of 
varieties with highest production capabilities 
(Alekseeva et al., 2005). 26 varieties of 
buckwheat have been added into the State 
register of plant varieties suitable for 
dissemination in Ukraine in 2018, and only 2 of 
them were originating from abroad (Russian 
Federation) (State register, 2018).  
The potential yield level of modern 
Ukrainian varieties ranges within 3.5 – 4.2 tons 
per hectare. Currently this level is implemented 
for 30-40% of the potential in field conditions. 
This situation is mainly caused by the sensitivity 
of buckwheat plants to environmental conditions 
and non-compliance with cultivation technologies 
etc. (Alekseeva et al., 2005). Current production 
volume covers 90-95 % of the national needs for 
buckwheat grain. Yet it  
is very obvious that under the appropriate 
conditions Ukraine can become an exporter of 
this product. Quality of Ukrainian buckwheat 
grain and functional buckwheat products fully 
complies with all world standards. 
In 2017 International association of 
research institutions, producers, processors and 
functional buckwheat products was founded in 
Ukraine. The main purpose of this Institution is 
the coordination of the activities of its participants 
and assistance in resolving questions related to 
research activities, grain production, growing, 
Fagopyrum 35: 29-35 (2018) 
 
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processing and producing groats and other 
functional buckwheat products. The 
Association’s task is to unite the producers of 
buckwheat products, strengthen the cooperation 
between producers and selection institutions, 
develop modern technologies, including the 
organic ones. The Association founders are the 
leading state and private research institutions, 
processors with significant production volumes. 
It is necessary to resolve a number of 
factors to increase the production volumes, such 
as: 
- Yield level stabilization; 
- Reduction of dependencies on 
environmental factors (temperature fluctuations 
during inflorescence period and yield formation); 
- Decrease of plant sensitivity towards 
soil humidity level. 
Selection allows resolving these issues 
by using ecologically diverse initial material. 
This material can be obtained from plant genetic 
resources collections. 
 
Description of National buckwheat collection of Ukraine 
  
The National buckwheat collection of 
Ukraine is located in 2 institutions (Tryhub, 
2015): 
- Research Institute cereals them. Olena 
Alekseeva Podolsky State Agricultural and 
Technical University; 
- Ustymivska experimental station of 
Plant Production of Plant Production Institute nd. 
a. V. Ya. Yuryev of NAAS. 
The total volume of the collections 
located in these institutions is over 2000 
authentic samples.  
Scientific-Research Institute of Groat 
Crops nd. a. O. Alekseeva is located in western 
Forest-steppe area of Ukraine. The genepool of 
the institute has all categories of plant genetic 
resources belonging to 13 species of 
Fagopyrum: local populations, hybrid 
populations, selection varieties of common and 
intensive types, wild species, botanic forms, 
polyploids, genetic markers and mutants. The 
collection formation took place in 1950-1971. 
The first samples were from western region of 
Ukraine. Over 500 samples in total were 
collected (Alekseeva, 1967). These samples had 
diverse morphological treats and different 
technological quality and biochemical content of 
grain. Starting from 1960 the experimental 
mutagenesis usage has started for selection 
purposes. A large number of original forms have 
been created: with significant branching 
capabilities, dwarfs, short-stem, green flower, 
with salad and anthocyan coloring of plant, 
different forms of inflorescences, large size of 
grain etc. Thanks to the significant input of 
academic Olena Alekseeva and her successors 
the basic collection of the institute has increased 
to over 1600 samples collected from all over the 
territory of former Soviet Union and 14 other 
countries (Alekseeva et al., 2005b). 115 
 
 
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collection samples are Fagopyrum tataricum 
Gaertn. (Nikitchuk, 2001). The collection of this 
institute is the short-term storage collection. A 
few years ago the institute has reinstated its 
active research work and started gathering and 
reinstating the collection; studying the industrial 
and biologic traits of both common and tartary 
buckwheat, cultivation technologies and 
selection of new varieties (Alekseeva et al., 
2002).  
Ustymivska Experimental Station of 
Plant Production is located in the central part of 
Ukrainian Forest-steppe territory with extremely 
favorable environmental conditions for 
buckwheat cultivation, soil quality and human 
expertise availability.  The work with the 
collection in the Experimental Station started in 
1954. The prolific weather conditions, huge 
diversity of genetic material of this region, 
significant planting acreage and stable grain 
yield volumes were the main factors of collection 
formation here (Tryhub, 2016). The collection 
formation supervisors were scientists from 
All-Union institute of plant production (Leningrad) 
– Krotov A. and Avezdzhanov R.  
Nowadays the collection of Experimental 
Station consists of 1629 samples, 991 of which 
originate from Ukraine. The collection contains 6 
samples of Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn. and 
one - Fagopyrum giganteum Krotov. 23 samples 
are tetraploid. The collection has a wide diversity 
of varieties and species that allow in full and in a 
short time to assess the gene pool of buckwheat 
on a range of agronomic traits of adaptability to 
abiotic and biotic factors. Collection has a broad 
representation of global diversity and contains 
materials from 23 countries of the world. This 
includes 20 regions of Ukraine, 28 - the Russian 
Federation and 5 - the Republic of Belarus. The 
collection contains buckwheat samples gathered 
during the expeditions performed by Vavilov N. 
during the mid-20th of the XX century.  
As a result of years long research in the 
Ustymivska Experimental Station Krotov A. and 
Dranenko E., сreated a new species - 
Fagopyrum giganteum Krotov. 
 
Fig. 2. Fagopyrum giganteum Krotov 
The introduction of new material, its 
studying, reproduction and preservation is 
conducted during the work with the collection.  
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33 
 
As a result of the fulfilling research 
program "Plant genetic resources" following 
actions are conducted annually: 
– the introduction of new valuable 
varieties into the gene bank of Ukraine in the 
amount of 5-10 samples; 
 – the gene pool study based on 
economically valuable indicators (cold-, drought- 
and heat resistance, diseases- and 
pests-resistance and the productivity of its 
elements, the quality of the crop, etc.) - more 
than 100 samples; 
– allocation of 10-15 sources of selection 
and agronomic traits of plant productivity, grain 
quality, adaptability of the material, etc .; 
– cultivation and transfer to storage in 
the storage doublet repository of Research 
Station (about 200 samples - to collection and 
100 samples - to storage in a National repository 
of Ukraine);  
– software research and breeding 
facilities standards, sources and donors of 
valuable traits for breeding and other research - 
about 100 collection samples;  
– transmission of 1-2 educational 
collections (30-50 samples) to educational 
institutions; 
– the formation and transmission of the 
attributive and special collections for the 
registration to the National Center GRPU; 
 –unique samples of collection of the 
gene pool are sent to the registration;  
– supplying with the information on the 
gene pool of plant breeding and research 
institutions of Ukraine and other countries 
(publication of 2-3 articles). 
The storage of seed collection is 
conducted in the special repository that was 
provided in the mid-1990th as part of the 
cooperation with IPGRI. The controlled 
temperature (+2–+40С) and humidity of 
environment (not more than 30%) are kept in the 
storage. Seed is stored for preservation with 
humidity of 6-7%. 
All collections samples are entered into 
passport database, information about most of 
them is available in the Internet. 
In the National Center PGRU seven 
buckwheat gene pool collections are registered 
by the station: base collection; educational 
collection of buckwheat gene pool; four indicative 
collections of buckwheat gene pool by yield and 
largest grain, productivity and drought resistance 
and heat resistance, adaptation to mechanized 
cultivation and productivity of the material and 
core collection. 
In addition to the mandatory set of traits 
to determine the yield characteristics of the 
collection material, research has been done to 
determine: 
– plant resistance to shattering and 
breakage of the stem (as lodging resistance 
characteristics) using special devices; 
– drought resistance in growing material 
under controlled conditions (special containers 
and other), as well as the study of physiological 
parameters (water shortages, water-holding 
capacity, changes in germination of seeds after 
heating, etc.); 
 
 
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– heat resistance by using special 
methods; 
– flower size in different samples and 
species; protein and starch contents in the grain, 
etc. 
In addition, the most early-maturing 
samples (60-70 days) were cultivated, with stem 
fasciation, determinant type of growth, two or 
three carpal and long lateral inflorescences, two 
leaves at the node near the inflorescence, with 
lateral inflorescences in the form of branches, 
with narrow leaflets, high attachment of the lower 
inflorescence (more than 30 cm), with a small 
number of nodes on the main stem (6 pcs.); 
pest-resistant; low intensity of transpiration and 
water shortages, high water-holding capacity. 
The method of isolation with the help of 
tetraploid buckwheat is used for reproduction of 
diploid samples. The distance between diploid 
samples is 8 – 10 m.  
Annually in order to fulfill the requests 
made by different institutions and on the own 
initiative, consumers are being given more than 
100 unique samples. Over the past 10 years, we 
sent more than 500 samples after examination 
and evaluation to the main selection institutions. 
Based on the latest tendencies of 
buckwheat usage directions expansion we have 
started researching in the new vectors: selection 
of the forms which could be used as green 
manure fertilizer, studying antioxidant traits of 
common buckwheat from different ecologic and 
geographic origin.  
 
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Alekseeva, E., Elagin, I., Taranenko, L., Bochkareva, L., Malina, M., Rarok, V., Yacishin, O., 2005. Culture of buckwheat. Vol. 1. 
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