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Precise Management is Key to High Yields with Hybrid Rye

Commonly grown in Europe, hybrid rye presents a unique third-crop opportunity for U.S. no-tillers looking to diversify their markets and rotations.


Pictured Above: RYE AND SOYBEAN INTERCROP. As an experiment, Randy Tholen of Balaton, Minn., relay cropped soybeans into standing hybrid rye in May, 2019. The cool, wet summer inhibited growth somewhat, but the rye still yielded 90 bushels per acre

MANY CORN AND soybean farmers have found themselves looking for a viable third crop to incorporate in their rotations, seeking diversity in markets, soil health benefits, and the opportunity to spread work the load over a longer period of time.

One crop that is getting some attention as a potential third crop is hybrid rye, a higher-yielding relative of open pollinated (OP) cereal rye, which is typically used as a cover crop after full-season crops. Hybrid rye has been raised extensively in Europe and is commonly used for both human food and animal feed, as well as in distilleries and for ethanol production. It is bred by KWS in Germany and there are currently several hybrids available to grow as grain, forage or both.

MANY BENEFITS

Like cereal rye, hybrid rye is winter hardy and good for controlling soil erosion and managing water. But the yields of hybrid rye, which often top 100 bushels per acre, far exceed the 30-60 bushel-per-acre yields of OP types. Hybrid rye’s big root system is said to require 20% less water and nutrients than winter wheat grown for similar yields.

LOTS OF POLLEN. To show how much more pollen hybrid rye releases, researchers at KWS placed a plastic bag around a head of open

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Julia gerlach web

Julia Gerlach

Julia Gerlach is the former Executive Editor of No-Till Farmer. She has a lengthy background in publishing and a longtime interest in gardening and mycology. She graduated with a B.A. in music and philosophy from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis.

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