Higher Yield of Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) as a Result of Seed Treatment with Gamma Radiation

Common buckwheat (<i>Fagopyrum esculentum</i> Moench), a valuable plant, is characterized by a highly unstable seed yield. The objective of the present study was to ascertain whether seed treatment with gamma radiation of 30 or 40 Gy would enhance yield and the content of amino acids. Plants obtained from irradiated seeds were named M0 generation. Subsequently, the mutants were subjected to cross-pollination under isolation conditions within groups, contingent upon the radiation dose, to yield the M1, M2, and M3 generations. To estimate the extent of mutation changes, genotyping by sequencing analysis was performed on selected M0 plants. Each year, the selection of plants was based on their seed yield. The amino acid composition in the seeds of the M2 and M3 generations was determined. The number of unique heterozygote variants identified for the 40 Gy plants was found to be less than that observed in remaining plants. The M0 and M1 plants of 40 Gy group exhibited an augmented seed yield; however, this characteristic did not reoccur in the M2 generation. In the M2, the control seeds exhibited the highest amino acid content compared to the mutants. In the M3 generation, only one accession of the 40 Gy group demonstrated higher amino acid content than the other plants. The findings suggest that irradiating seeds with 40 Gy can enhance seed yield and amino acid content.