Rye, triticale, and intermediate wheatgrass: Recent updates in research, plant breeding, and their common uses

Abstract

<p>This creative component (CC) provides a brief snapshot into three alternative small grain crops that provide viable alternatives to fill niche roles on farms looking for additional crops to include in their production system. These include, an ancient grain rye (<em>Secale cereale </em>L.), a man-made species Triticale (×<em>Triticosecale</em> Wittm. ex A. Camus<em>) </em>and a crop just beginning to be commercialized intermediate wheatgrass (<em>Thiopyrium intermedium</em>), with the first commercialized cultivar, Kernza™. The major areas covered in this CC includes the most recent updates on research, breeding and common uses for these three crops. These three crops rye, triticale and intermediate wheatgrass have multipurpose roles to fill on the farm including forage, fodder, grain and cover crop. On-going research is expanding and improving their economic viability along with their ability to excel on marginal soil and in unproductive areas on a farm.</p>