Buckwheat

Koto

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

Released in 2002 by Cornell University and Kade Research in a project funded by Birkett Mills. Cornell's New York trials put it about 13 percent over Manisoba with better stress tolerance. Standing ability is its consistent trait: it made the best lodging score in NDSU's 2001 Carrington trial at 1.5 on a 0-9 scale where 0 is upright and 9 is flat, against a trial mean of 3.0 and a least significant difference of 1.5, so it stood significantly better than Manor at 4.5 — and it held that rank across NDSU's 2006-2010 six-location average (A687 Table 1), where it was again the best stander of the four varieties tested at 3.0. Do not read a test-weight edge into it: its 46.0 lb/bu was highest at Carrington in 2001, but across 2006-2010 it averaged 41.9 lb/bu, below Koma's 42.9 and level with Manor's 41.7. Its 1,407 lb/ac 2001 grain yield was numerically highest but the 2001 yield differences were not statistically significant, so the yield edge is unproven from that trial alone.

Mancan

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

USDA NRCS describes Mancan as a large-seeded variety commonly grown throughout the United States, so it is usually what a seed dealer has on hand. Note that cover-crop buckwheat is often sown as common seed with no specified variety, and because buckwheat is cross-pollinated NDSU warns that variety designations may not be valid except in certified seed lots. Standing ability is the open question: it scored 1.8 for lodging on the 0-9 scale in NDSU's 2001 Carrington trial, well under that trial's 3.0 mean, but that trial's lodging C.V. was 33.1 percent and NDSU's 2006-2010 average across six North Dakota locations (A687 Table 1) puts Mancan at 4.0, the worst of the four varieties tested, against Koma 3.9, Manor 3.6 and Koto 3.0. Treat the single-year Carrington score as noise and expect average-to-poor standing. It was the latest to bloom in the 2001 trial at 36.5 days.

Koban

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

In NDSU's 2001 Carrington trial Koban was among the earliest to bloom at 35.0 days, significantly earlier than Mancan at 36.5 given the least significant difference of 1.0, though not separable from Manor at 35.3. It scored 2.5 for lodging on the 0-9 scale where lower is better, below the 3.0 trial mean, with 44.2 lb/bu test weight. Koto was later bred with higher test weight than Koban.

Manisoba

Also known as AC Manisoba

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

One of the most commonly grown varieties in the Northeast, where Cornell trials put it about 10 percent over Manor. In NDSU's 2001 Carrington trial it scored 3.8 for lodging on the 0-9 scale where lower is better, worse than the 3.0 trial mean, and its 43.6 lb/bu test weight was significantly below Koto's 46.0 given the least significant difference of 1.5.

Manor

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

USDA NRCS records Manor as the dominant variety grown in the Northeast throughout the 1990s, still grown because its large seed is what some processors require. It was the worst lodger in NDSU's 2001 Carrington trial at 4.5 on the 0-9 scale, significantly worse than Koto at 1.5, Mancan at 1.8 and Koban at 2.5 given the least significant difference of 1.5, and it posted that trial's lowest 2001 grain yield at 970 lb/ac and lowest three-year average at 1,267 lb/ac — though the 2001 yield differences were not statistically significant. Do not read that single site-year as the variety's character: NDSU's 2006-2010 average across six North Dakota locations (A687 Tables 1 and 3) puts Manor at 3.6 for lodging, better than Mancan at 4.0 and Koma at 3.9, and yielding 1,916 and 1,794 lb/ac in 2009 and 2010, above Koma in both years. Middling on standing ability, not exceptionally bad.

Springfield

Also known as AC Springfield

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

A large-seeded variety that USDA NRCS reports as yielding well in North Dakota trials. In NDSU's own 2001 Carrington trial it landed mid-pack at 1,068 lb/ac, scored 4.0 for lodging on the 0-9 scale where lower is better against a 3.0 mean, and had the lowest test weight in the trial at 42.0 lb/bu, significantly under Koto's 46.0 given the least significant difference of 1.5.

Koma

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

USDA NRCS describes Koma as a large-seeded variety that often yields higher than Mancan. It is a real named release carried by seed trade, but this is a comparative claim without the trial numbers behind it in the sources consulted, so treat the yield edge as indicative rather than measured.

Horizon

Needs a pollinizer

Zones

2-11

USDA NRCS describes Horizon as a large-seeded variety that has produced high yields in trials in North Dakota and Canada. A real named release, but the sources consulted give no trial table for it, so the yield claim is reported rather than verified here.