Rye and wheat differences: difference in appearance and ears, composition

Wheat and rye are the two most common cereals grown in Russia. They have much in common, as they are related plants, but there are also differences. Consider what are the differences between rye and wheat, description of crops, comparative characteristics of the composition, properties and appearance, by which one can visually distinguish one plant from another.

Description of crops

Both types of cereals belong to the same family - cereals, but to different genera. Both species have spring and winter varieties.

Wheat

This is one of the main crops grown in many countries. Grain goes for processing, flour is obtained from it, from which bread, bakery and pasta are baked. Alcohol is produced from grain, it is used to feed livestock.

The leaders in wheat production are China, USA, Russia, Canada, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Culture is the most important international commodity. Two-thirds of world grain exports come from wheat.

Rye

In terms of production, the crop is inferior to wheat. Rye is grown mainly where the climate is humid and cool. The share of products obtained from rye flour is approximately 10%, but they are in constant demand and have their own fans.

Useful rye bread is made from rye flour, it is less high-calorie than wheat bread, it can be used for various diseases. A traditional drink is prepared from rye - kvass, an alcohol of higher quality than from grains of other cereals. Rye starch is not inferior in quality to potato starch, because of this, the bread does not stale for a long time. Whole and sprouted grains are also used for livestock feed.

Main differences between plants

Rye and wheat differ in composition, properties and appearance. They differ mainly in the structure and size of the ear, although there is a difference in the stems and leaves. If we consider cereals in terms of species diversity, then wheat has the most varieties and varieties registered, rye is inferior to it in this respect.

Composition comparison

A grain of soft wheat contains 11.8 g of protein, 2.2 g of fat and 59.5 g of carbohydrates, 10.8 g of fiber per 100 g. The nutritional value of wheat is 305 kcal. The grain, in addition to the main nutrients, contains vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6 and B9, E, K and PP and mineral elements potassium, calcium, silicon, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, phosphorus, chlorine, iron, iodine, cob alt, manganese, copper, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.

Rye grain differs from wheat in its main nutritional components: 100 g contains 10.3 g of proteins, 1.6 g of fats, 60.8 g of carbohydrates and 15.1 g of fiber.Nutritional value - 338 kcal. There is also a difference in the composition of vitamins and trace elements: rye grain contains vitamins B1, B2, B4, B5, B6 and B9 and trace elements: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc.

Both rye and wheat products are contraindicated for people with inflammatory bowel disease and gluten intolerance. In folk medicine, the fruits of crops also have different uses: wheat grains and sprouts are used to rejuvenate the body, strengthen immunity, soften and nourish the skin. Rye is used in diet food.

In folk recipes, cereal is used to increase immunity, reduce weight, prevent cardiovascular disorders, and relieve joint pain. Rye products have a lower glycemic index than wheat products, so rye products can be eaten by people with diabetes.

Property differences

Rye differs from wheat in that it is more cold-resistant and less demanding on soil fertility, as it has fibrous roots that go deep into the soil up to 2 m. The culture can grow on infertile, acidic, sandy soils, in a humid and cool climate. Wheat needs more heat, it also makes demands on the nutritional value of the soil, the crop is less cold-resistant.

The difference between the two cultures is also manifested at the morphological level: rye flowers are pollinated by the wind, wheat is a self-pollinating plant.

Appearance

Cultures can be distinguished already at the stage of germination. Rye seedlings have 1 primary root more than wheat seedlings, respectively, 4 and 3 pcs. In young plants, before the formation of ears, the leaves differ in color: rye gray-green, wheaten bright green. After the formation of the ear, the leaves of wheat also acquire a bluish tint.

What wheat looks like: a herbaceous cereal plant from 30 to 150 cm tall, has erect hollow stems, leaves are linear, narrow, flat, bare or rough, fibrous measles system.

Wheat inflorescence is a linear straight spike, reaches a length of 3-15 cm. The flowers are located on the axis of the ears in longitudinal rows, have awns up to 18 cm long. Wheat fruits are oblong or oval grains 5- 10 mm, covered with short hairs in the upper part, divided into 2 parts by a groove in the middle. Color brownish yellow.

Signs of common rye: the plant has fibrous roots, long, growing up to 1-2 m. Stem 80-100 cm long, hollow, straight, not branched, has 5-7 internodes. The leaves are broadly linear, bluish in color, 15-30 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide.The inflorescence of rye is a complex spike, it is formed in a single specimen on the plant, from 5 to 15 cm long, 0.7-1.2 cm wide. There are awns 2-5 cm long on the caryopses. The fruit of rye is a grain compressed from the sides, 5-10 cm long, 1.5-3 mm long, with a groove in the middle. The shape of the fruit is oval or elongated, painted in a grayish-yellow color.

Rye and wheat belong to the same family, so they have many similarities, but also many differences in chemical composition, relation to climatic and soil conditions, appearance and properties.