Chemical composition and total phenols content of tartary buckwheat (fagopyrum tataricum gaertn) grown in different vegetation seasons

Abstract

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn) is an annual plant that is classified as a pseudocereal with high nutritional values. It is mainly cultivated in Asia, where grain and other parts of plants are used in traditional diet. In recent years, tartary buckwheat is grown on smaller areas and mostly in a mixture with common buckwheat in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition and total phenols content of tartary buckwheat grown in different vegetation seasons. Field experiments were conducted in Donje Selo, near Ilijaš during 2011, 2012 and 2013 vegetation seasons. The results show that weather in some vegetation seasons have statistically significant effect on contents of protein and starch in kernel. The largest contents of protein were found in vegetation season with a lack of precipitation (2012 year), while the largest content of starch was recorded in years with relatively higher precipitation levels (2011 and 2013 years). Results show that total phenols content depended on the plant organ and vegetation season. The highest content was found in the flower (63.63 mg GAE g−1), while the smallest content was found in the kernel (5.03 mg GAE g−1).