Buckwheat As a Phosphorus Scavenger: Soil Analysis and the Role of Mycorrhiza Fungi in Phosphorus Uptake.

Buckwheat, – Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, – is a pseudocereal cultivated as grain as well as cover crop. The study was designed to analyze arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) status of buckwheat and to demonstrate benefits to the soil when buckwheat is grown as a cover crop in Florida, in particular, enrichment of the soil with available phosphorus. Given uncertainty found in literature regarding AMF colonization of buckwheat, the study aimed to analyze the role of AMF for phosphorus uptake in buckwheat and benefits from the fungal symbiosis to the buckwheat’s growth rates. The results showed that the symbiosis with AMF does contribute to inorganic phosphorus uptake and affects growing rates of buckwheat. Being considered as non-mycorrhizal host crop, buckwheat does create symbiosis with AMF (colonization rates vary from low to medium) and could be used in the crop rotations before planting subsequent mycorrhizal host crop. For the purposes of cover crop study buckwheat was planted at the organic garden located at Florida International University in early November and harvested in middle of December. Buckwhear grew rapidly and decomposed quickly. Soil analysis indicated that buckwheat residue has the ability to enrich soil with available phosphorus. The amount of total nitrogen increased significantly as well.  Regression analysis on aboveground buckwheat biomass weight and soil characteristics showed that high soil pH was the major limiting factor that affected buckwheat growth.