Practical
Plants

Triticosecale spp

Triticale

an annual member of the Triticosecale genus in the family Gramineae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Life cycle
annual
Height
1 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - ground and used as a flour[1][2][3]. Lower in gluten than wheat, so it is often mixed with that cereal if used in bread making[3]. It has a higher amino acid and protein content than wheat[3]. The seed can also be sprouted and added to salads[3]. Yields can be very high, with harvests of more than 10 tonnes per hectare being achieved[K].

Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
A bi-generic hybrid of garden origin between Triticum sp. and Secale cereale.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow March or October in situ, only just covering the seed. Germination should take place within a few days.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds on lighter and drier soils than are suitable for wheat[2]. A person-made hybrid, Triticum spp. x Secale cereale, it is often cultivated for its edible seed, there are some named varieties[2][3]. Plants are more winter hardy than wheat but yields have been low in some areas and lodging has been a serious fault[3]. The grain is larger than wheat but more sparsely carried on the flowering spike[3]. Plants are more resistant than wheat to the diseases 'take-all' and 'rust'[2]. Resists mildew[2].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

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