Secale cereale
Rye
an annual member of the Secale genus in the family Gramineae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - cooked[9][3][13][14]. A common cereal, it is used especially in N. Europe to make bread[8]. The seed contains about 13% protein[16]. The grain also contains some gluten, though not as much as wheat, so it makes a heavier bread than wheat. It can also be used to make cakes etc. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads[8]. A nutritional analysis is available[11]. Malt, a sweet substance produced by germinating the seed, is extracted from the roasted germinated seed and used as a sweetening agent and in making beer etc[3]. The roasted (ungerminated) seed is used as a coffee substitute[14][8].
- Product or use
- Coffee
- Product or use
- Sweetener
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The seed is made into a poultice and applied to tumours[11]. The seed is also an effective laxative due to its fibrous seed coat[12].
- Product or use
- Poultice
- Product or use
- Cancer
- Product or use
- Laxative
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The straw is used as a fuel or as a biomass in industry[5]. It is quite strong[2] and can also be used in thatching, for paper making, weaving mats and hats etc[3][13][14][16][6]. Other uses for the straw include as a packing material for nursery stock, bricks and tiles, for bedding, archery targets, and mushroom compost[12]. The plant is a good green manure crop. It is fast growing with an extensive and deep root system[14]. It is especially useful if sown in late autumn. Its growth over the winter will prevent soil erosion and the leaching of nutrients from the soil, it can then be incorporated into the soil in the spring[6]. The extensive root system also makes this a good plant to use for soil stabilization, especially on sandy soils[6].
- Product or use
- Biomass
- Product or use
- Oil
- Product or use
- Thatching
Environment
- Range
- W. Asia? Original habitat is obscure.
- Habitat
- Not known in a truly wild situation.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 3+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerances
- high wind, drought
- Wind
- Yes
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow March or October in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a well-drained light soil in a sunny position[1][4]. It thrives on infertile, submarginal areas and is renouned for its ability to grow on sandy soils[12]. Established plants are drought tolerant[1]. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of of 22 to 176cm, an annual temperature in the range of of 4.3 to 21.3°C and a pH of 4.5 to 8.2[12]. Rye is a widely cultivated temperate zone cereal crop. It is able to withstand severe climatic conditions and can be grown much further north and at higher altitudes than wheat[3][13][15]. Average yields vary widely from country to country, the world average is around 1.6 tonnes per hectare with yields of almost 7 tonnes per hectare achieved in Norway[12]. There are many named varieties[8]. Rye is a rather variable species and botanists have divided it into a number of sub-species, all of which could be of value in breeding programmes. These sub-species are briefly listed below:- S. cereale afghanicum (Vavilov.)K.Hammer. Native to the Caucasus, western Asia and India. S. cereale ancestrale Zhuk. Native to western Asia. S. cereale dighoricum Vavilov. Native to the Caucasus and eastern europe. S. cereale segetale Zhuk. Native to temperate Asia. Rye grows well with cornflowers and pansies[7][10], though it inhibits the growth of poppies and couch grass[7][10].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218
Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.
Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820
Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00
Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00
Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202