Buckwheat: A Sustainable Alternative Crop Under Changing Climate

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.), a pseudocereal crop with high nutritional and ecological values, is gaining global attention as a climate-smart crop suitable for sustainable agriculture. Its short life cycle, adaptability to marginal environments, and natural resilience to various abiotic and biotic stresses make it a promising crop for future cropping systems. Buckwheat, being a fast-growing and short-duration crop, fits seamlessly into crop rotation schedules and intercropping systems, especially in temperate and high-altitude regions. Recent literature clearly demonstrates the ability of buckwheat to withstand a wide range of stressors. Consequently, there is a great need to report the scientific findings backing the stress tolerance through underpinning physiological, molecular, and genetic insights behind its resilience. Additionally, buckwheat is reported to improve soil health, supporting biodiversity, and contributing to low-input farming systems. Current research gaps and strategic directions for breeding and biotechnological interventions to enhance buckwheat's resilience and productivity under changing climatic conditions have been highlighted in this study.