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Common buckwheat is valued for its adaptability, nutritional quality and potential to enhance sustainable cropping systems. However, yield instability and limited data on long-term genetic and nutritional stability remain key challenges. To address this, we conducted a nine-year field study (2012–2020) of the Slovenian variety Čebelica under Central European conditions, integrating agronomic, environmental, nutritional and genetic analyses. Grain yields varied widely (498.8–1418.0 kg ha −1 ), primarily due to climatic differences, with the precipitation as the dominant factor (F = 4.324, P = 0.027). Crop rotation explained 39.9 % of yield variation, with highest productivity following oats, maize or red clover. In contrast, protein (10.1–12.5 %) and fat (2.6–3.2 %) contents were highly stable (CV < 6 %), indicating robust physiological regulation. Micro-nutrient trends showed increasing iron and zinc, and decreasing sodium. Redundancy analysis revealed that precipitation, soil phosphorus and solar radiation explained over 75 % of trait variation, highlighting complex environmental control. Solar radiation influenced a trade-off between protein/fat and total phenolic content, suggesting metabolic shifts under varying light. Genetic analysis using nine SSR loci showed high diversity (Ho = 0.863) and a significant genetic shift between 2014 and 2015. Principal coordinate analysis and Mantel test (r = 0.556, P = 0.005) confirmed temporal genetic structuring, indicating ongoing adaptation despite the use of a single variety. These findings demonstrate that Čebelica is a nutritionally stable yet genetically dynamic variety, well suited for climate-resilient agriculture. This work offers rare, long-term insights into the ecological, agronomic and genetic dynamics of an underutilised but valuable crop. • Nine-year study reveals climate and management keys to stabile buckwheat yield. • Yield is climate-sensitive, but grain nutritional quality stays consistently stable. • Crop rotation explains 39.9 % of yield; oats, maize and red clover increase productivity. • Environment explains over 75 % of variation in key agronomic and nutritional traits. • Čebelica variety has strong potential for resilient, sustainable buckwheat systems.
Pipan et al. (Tue,) studied this question.