Hybrid of wheat and rye: description of triticale, benefits and harms, application

The crops that are grown to produce grain are varied. Consider the history of obtaining triticale - a hybrid of wheat and rye, what the plant looks like, characteristic features, types and varieties of crops. The chemical composition of fruits and nutritional value, which benefits and harms, cultivation features and use in agriculture and in cooking. The difference between a hybrid and ordinary wheat.

What is triticale

A new grain crop has recently appeared thanks to artificial breeding from related cultivated species - wheat and rye. Triticale appeared at the end of the 19th century.At first, the hybrids were sterile, then it was possible to obtain plants that can produce offspring. Today, the wheat-rye hybrid is grown as a food and fodder crop.

Discovery history

Get a new plant that would combine the best qualities of the parent species, tried back in the 19th century. The first representatives of the culture were bred in 1875, but could not produce offspring. A few years later, in 1888, plants were obtained from which they received a crop, but a small one.

In 1936, the stimulating effect of the alkaloid colchicine on the germ cells of plants was discovered. After that, it became possible to obtain hybrids-mixtures of wheat and rye, which were capable of reproduction and stable transmission of inherited traits to the next generations.

Today, hexaploid varieties of the hybrid are considered the most popular for cultivation.The cultivation of varieties is spreading every day, the crop is mainly grown in Russia and the countries of Eastern and Southern Europe, in Poland it occupies one of the leading places in the list of cereals.

Appearance and features

Hybrid plant 70-115 cm high, spikelet length - 10-12 cm, leaf color - dark green and gray, leaves develop earlier than wheat and do not turn yellow for a long time. The fruit is a yellow grain with a brownish tint, the weight of a thousand seeds is 40-60 g. The yield of a promising crop is 30-35 centners per hectare for cereals and 60 centners for fodder varieties.

Triticale is more resistant to disease and drought than parent plants, and tolerates cold better than wheat. The winter variety withstands freezing of the soil, it is not demanding on watering. Can grow well in not very fertile soil.

The nutritional value of the hybrid is higher than wheat - the protein in the grain is 1-1.5% more and 3-4% more than that of rye.The grain contains less glutenin, more of the amino acid lysine and fat. The green mass of the culture is also more valuable than the greens of the original species - 1 kg of it contains 0.3 feed. units, while in wheat - 0.18 fodder. units

From triticale get flour used for making pastries, dough, pasta. The disadvantage of culture is the difficulty of separating the shells of the grain from the middle.

Types and varieties

Spring and winter varieties of crops are grown, the following are popular among them:

Altai-5. Winter triticale recommended for Western Siberia. The yield of a hybrid of this variety is average - 32.5 centners, maximum - up to 70 centners. The variety is resistant to most diseases.
Amphidiploid 256. Winter variety, intended for the North Caucasus regions. The average yield is 43.5 q/ha. The hybrid is drought tolerant, resistant to stem lodging and shedding.
Yarilo. Grain-forage variety of spring type, recommended for cultivation in the North Caucasus regions. Productivity is noted in 25 centners from hectare. Resistant to many diseases.

Forage varieties:

Argo. Winter variety, which is grown for fodder grains and greens. Resistant to infections, pests, yield - 180 q/ha.
Tornado. Winter variety, grain yield - 60 q/ha. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the Volga region and regions of the middle zone. Resistant to fungi, except snow mold.

Features of cultivation

Triticale is suitable for soddy soils and podzol with an acidity of pH 5.5-6.5. Heavy and waterlogged soils are not suitable for it. Land preparation for sowing occurs in the same way as for wheat: plowing and applying organic matter and nitrogen fertilizers.

Triticale precursors cannot be wheat or other cereals. Before sowing, the seeds are treated with fungicidal preparations. Sowing is carried out by standard methods: seeds are sown in rows with row spacing of 8-15 cm. Winter triticale is sown in the northern regions in the 2nd half of August, in the southern regions - 30 days later. Spring crops are sown in spring 3-8 days after the snow melts. The depth of the rows, according to agricultural standards, is 2-3 cm.

When a crop is diseased, the crops are sprayed with fungicides, when attacked by pests - with insecticides. Ripe triticale grain can germinate while still in the ear, so harvesting must be done on time.

Chemical composition and nutritional value

100 g of product contains 12.8 g of protein, 2.1 g of fat, 54.5 g of sugars, 2.6 g of fiber. The calorie content of the fruits of the hybrid is 293 kcal. Vitamins in the composition: B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, U, PP. Trace elements: phosphorus, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc.

The nutritional value of triticale is expressed in vitamin compounds and mineral elements, in vegetable and animal proteins, fats, digestible carbohydrates. Substances enter the body from products derived from triticale grains.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of triticale are expressed in a positive effect on the organs of the digestive system, the culture has a high nutritional value. You can not use products from the fruits of the plant for those who have an individual intolerance to the substances in its composition. This is especially true for gluten intolerance.

Application

The main use of triticale grain and green mass is for animal feed. Partially, it also goes to the manufacture of flour and products for human nutrition.

In agriculture

From the fruits of the hybrid, compound feed is prepared, fed with grain or compound feed for cattle, sheep, pigs, goats. In terms of nutritional value, it surpasses wheat and many other cereals, provides a good gain in livestock.

The protein content in the grain of the hybrid is greater than in other cereals. Feed value of grain - 1.24 feed. units, that is, higher than that of oats, green mass - 0.3 fodder. units, straw - 0.2 feed. units Triticale greens contain a lot of proteins, carotenoids, lysine, carbohydrates, according to this indicator, the culture is ahead of the parent species. In addition to being used for animal feed, it is used for laying in compost, embedding in the soil as green manure. The grain is processed to obtain alcohol and liquid fuel, acetone, and paper raw materials.

Cooking

Flour from triticale grains has some peculiarities - gluten proteins differ from the proteins of the same wheat, so the product is used in the confectionery industry. Products made from triticale flour are of higher quality than those made from wheat flour.

Cookies, gingerbread, muffins are obtained from hybrid flour. Baking is characterized by high taste qualities, products do not stale for a long time. Despite the fact that triticale grits are not often seen in stores, baked goods are popular. The grain of the hybrid is also used in the fermentation industry.

Differences from regular wheat

The head of the hybrid is longer than that of wheat, and the grain is larger. The yield is also higher - it exceeds the wheat yield from the same area by 1.5-2 times.The nutritional value of the culture is higher; there is more protein and amino acids in the fruits. Starch contains less amylose, so it is easier to digest.

The plant tolerates frost better, sprouts faster in spring, seeds can be sown a little later than wheat. But, with all the advantages, the grain of the hybrid has disadvantages - it is harder to process, the gluten is of lower quality, which prevents wider use for food purposes.

Interest in triticale for use in agriculture is due to the possibilities of culture. A hybrid of wheat and rye has a high potential, is frost-resistant, resistant to fungi and viruses, does not require cultivation on fertile soil. Triticale tolerates cold and heat, it can be sown in areas where the cultivation of traditional wheat varieties is problematic and does not give the expected results.