| Information |
|
| |
Triticale varieties are the result of crossing wheat with rye and take on some of the desired traits from both. Rye is known for its ability to grow well on poor ground, dry conditions and cold climates. Triticale is almost as hardy and contains more protein than either of its parents, rye or wheat. |
| |
|
| |
Spring triticale, cut slightly before boot stage, produces forage (silage or hay) similar to other small grains (oats or barley) in feed quality. When harvested at later stages (e.g. soft dough) for better tonnage, the barley and triticale forages maintain feed quality (lower fibers, I higher digestibility) much better than do oats. And the advantage triticale has over barley with these later harvest dates is in yield (tonnage). |
| |
|
| |
In addition to being more broadly adapted (adverse climates and soils) than either oats or barley, another advantage triticale has is when spring cereals are mixed with forage peas. Forage peas in general have a tendency to "pull" the cereal crop down and cause lodging. Triticale's as a rule stand better than oats or barley and therefore are less likely to lodge when mixed with peas. |
| |
|
| |
Winter triticale varieties represent even greater flexibility and opportunity than do spring varieties.
Spring workloads are lessoned by seeding in the fall. And a fall grazing opportunity now also presents itself in addition to the forage crop that will be taken the following year. |
| |
|
| |
Forage legume candidates to mix with winter triticale include Austrian winter peas, winter lentils and hairy vetch, with hairy vetch being more dependable at over wintering. |
| |
|
| |
The primary disadvantage in planting triticale's would be volunteer triticale plants showing up in subsequent small grains crops to be harvested for grain as there will be a very small fraction of a percent of seed sown that can remain dormant for another season or two. This problem is probably not any more frequent than what occurs with most winter wheat varieties, but it certainly is more noticeable when it does happen. |
|
