Evaluacion agronomica y de calidad de cultivares de alforfon.

The adaptation of three buckwheat cultivars of Japanese origin was studied, using the Canadian Mancan cv. as control under Valdivia environmental conditions. The assay was carried out in a design of complete blocks at random with 4 repetitions. The results were submitted to a variance analysis and the significance among averages as evaluated according to the test of Tukey. The parameters evaluated were: plant height, yield components, number of grain per kg., yield, hectoliter weight, grain and flour moisture, protein contents, ashes, lipids, fiber and carbohydrates in the flour and chlorophyllous in the dehulled grain. Shinshu Osoba and Miyazaki Otsubu cvs. did not complete their vegetative cycle during the experiment. On the country, Hitachi Akisoba showed to be precocious and also presented a behaviour and characteristics similar to Mancan. The higher values for plant height, number of ramification per plant and number of inflorescences per plant corresponded to Shinshu Osoba an Miyazaki Otsubu. This last one was also outstanding for a high weight, 1.000 grains (33,12 g). The number of achenes riped by inflorescence and the number of achenes per plant were higher in Mancan and in Hitachi Akisoba. In relation to yield, none of the Japanese cultivars surpassed the Mancan cv. (2.962 kg/ha), however Hitachi Akisoba was outstanding among them, with 2.482 kg/ha. According to quality characters, the Japanese cultivars evaluated were lower than Mancan which had an hectoliter weight of 61,42 kg/hl and flour protein contents of 12,57%. The Japanese cultivar with more similar characteristics to Mancan cv. was Hitachi Akisoba which obtained comparative values of 59,60 kg/hl and 12,31% of proteins. Values obtained for moisture, lipids, ashes, fiber, carbohydrates and chlorophyllous characters were relatively similar among the analyzed cultivars. Finally the only Japanese cultivar that showed a possibility of cultivation in the zone of study was the precocious Hitachi Akisoba, which had values like Mancan cv.