Triticale

Triticale is a crop species resulting from a plant breeder’s cross between wheat (Triticum) and rye (Secale). The name triticale combines the scientific names of the two genera involved.

Hybrids between wheat and rye date back to 1875, but until recently there was little effort to develop high yielding triticales as a field crop. Plant breeders originally wanted to include the combination of grain quality, productivity, and disease resistance of wheat with the vigor and hardiness of rye.

Even though triticale is a cross between wheat and rye, it is self-pollinating (similar to wheat) and not cross pollinating (like rye). Most triticales that are agronomically desirable and breed true have resulted from several cycles of improvement, but are primarily from the durum-rye crosses with some common wheat parentage occasionally involved.

Planting Guides And Seed Information
For more information about seeds and planting, please consult the following guides and information sheets.

Green Manure and Cover Crops
Cover Crop Planting Specification Guide
Forage Planting Guide
Turf Planting Guide