Secale

Secale is a genus of grasses in the family Poaceae, tribe Triticeae. The most economically important species is Secale cereale, the cultivated rye, grown as a cereal grain in temperate regions. The genus also contains several wild relatives, including Secale montanum and Secale vavilovii.

Rye is a hardy, cool-season cereal. It tolerates cold, drought, and poor soils better than many other cereals and can be grown as winter or spring forms. Winter rye is planted in autumn and overwinters; spring rye is sown in spring. Plants have tall, slender culms and narrow leaves, and the ears are compact spikes of small, elongated kernels.

Uses of rye include milling for bread and bakery products, notably rye bread and pumpernickel, as well as production of beer and whiskey. It is also used as animal feed and as a forage crop, and rye straw provides fiber for bedding and other agricultural uses.

Domestication and distribution: Rye was domesticated from wild Secale relatives in Eurasia, with cultivation spreading across Europe in the medieval period. It remains especially important in northern and eastern Europe, Russia, and parts of Central Asia, though it is grown in other regions as well. The development of triticale, a hybrid with wheat, sought to combine traits of both species.

Genetics and disease: Secale cereale is diploid (2n=14) with the RR genome. Rye is susceptible to ergot, caused by Claviceps purpurea, which can contaminate grains and produce toxic alkaloids; this has led to stringent harvest and storage practices. Breeding programs continue to improve disease resistance and other agronomic traits in modern cultivars.