×Triticale

Triticale on a field

× triticale (also: × triticosecale ) is a cereal. It is a hybrid of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as a female and rye (Secale cereale L.) as a male partner. The name is composed of Triticum and Secale. The inverse intersection results Secalotricum. Taste and ingredients of triticale are intermediate between those of wheat and rye. His awns are about 3-5 cm long and square.

Origin

When crossing a hybrid is the result. The crossing progeny are highly sterile. Therefore, the sets of chromosomes must by treatment of seedlings with colchicine, the alkaloid of colchicum, are artificially doubled to obtain fertile plants (so-called "primary" triticale). Approved standard market varieties nowadays always go back to triticale x triticale hybrids ( so-called " secondary" triticale).

Triticale was bred to combine the modesty of rye with the quality of the wheat. First fertile triticale were found in the 19th century. The selective breeding only became possible after the discovery of colchicine in the 1930s, for example, in Sweden, Scotland and the USSR. The first triticale varieties with wide distribution were grown in Poland.

From the wheat stem the advantages of good baking quality, high income and the short straw, rye originate from the advantages of small claims to the climate and soil quality.

You can choose between summer triticale (which will not hibernate needed and therefore sown in spring ) and winter triticale differ ( which is sown in the autumn). Triticale is summer in Europe with almost no meaning and is more cultivated in the tropics and subtropics.

Since the year 2009, the first triticale hybrids are available in the official variety trials. In France, the first hybrid triticale variety is introduced to the market.

Cultivation ( in Germany )

Can you grow triticale on all floors within Germany. However, it is superior to the good sites in wheat yield and on nutrient-poor sandy soils brings rye higher yields. The growing focus on climate less favorable positions, for example, in the low mountain ranges. Sowing takes place in mid-September to mid-October with 150-200 kg per ha also a very late sowing is possible because of the good winter hardiness of triticale. In addition, a late sowing helps to prevent a strong fertilization and significantly reduces the weed pressure. The robustness of triticale to fungal diseases took long time no to very few fungicide treatments necessary. In recent years, however, fungal diseases have increasingly spread to triticale, so that this advantage is less. Should be harvested fully ripe, the time is usually dependent on the type between the rye and wheat harvest. Under optimal conditions, yields are up to 120 dt per ha are possible. Under less favorable conditions on typical cultivation sites, the yields are up to 25% on the wheat yields.

Economic Importance

The level of awareness of triticale in the population is still relatively low, although Germany is the world 's third- largest producer and the quantity harvested almost the same order of magnitude as has rye.

In Germany, the area under cultivation in 2012 was around 371 400 ha, the average income in the same year was about 61.8 dt / ha. There were harvested about 2.3 million tonnes of triticale in Germany. In 2012, 13.766 million tonnes triticale were harvested according to the FAO world.

Use

In addition to the vast application (> 50 % ) as a feed grain, it may also be used for human consumption ( baked goods, beer, etc. ). Bread, however, is generated due to partial poor baking properties ( on high amylase and associated poor gelatinization of the starch ) are generally composed of mixtures of wheat and rye. The individual triticale varieties are different suitable.

Use as energy crops is currently still relatively rare and is being explored. For the bioethanol production triticale grain is suitable pay due to the high starch content of triticale producer of bioethanol in the purchase prices higher than for rye. In addition, triticale varieties were from the Universities of Giessen and Kassel identified which high biomass yields per area and thus can also be used for the production of other fuels and biogas.

Appearance

The appearance of triticale is very different depending on the variety. As there are types, which are more similar to wheat and other, similar to the rye. Varieties with long or short straw or long spikes also occur. Also, the grain is in the form, appearance and ingredients, depending on the variety, very different.