Hybrid Rye

Farmers are interested in winter rye for grain to meet local demands and niche markets. Since 2020, we have conducted several experiments on hybrid rye, including variety selection, planting date, seeding rate, and spring nitrogen application rate.

  1. Hybrid Rye Grain Yield Compared to Other Small Grains. In Ohio, soft red winter wheat is the predominately produced small grain, with around 500,000 acres planted each fall. Although soft red winter wheat is commonly produced in Ohio, there is interest in other classes of wheat and other small grains. We conducted a three-year study to compared soft red winter wheat yield to other wheat classes and small grains, such as hybrid rye. For the full set of results, please see this FactSheet ANR-0154.
  2. Planting Date and Seeding Rate. For farmers to integrate hybrid winter rye into their cropping systems, they need basic agronomic information on optimum planting dates and seeding rates. The objective of this experiment was to determine the influence of planting date and seeding rate on winter hybrid rye grain yield in four states (Kentucky, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota). Across planting dates and seeding rates, grain yield was generally high (median values ≥90 bu acre−1) except for the Crookston, MN, location in 2022 where dry conditions at planting prohibited emergence and Lexington, KY, in 2021 when rye was planted on November 29 and freezing temperatures prohibited plant establishment. Maximum grain yield occurred when rye was planted within the 2-week period following the Hessian fly-free date and at seeding rates ≥0.8 million seeds acre−1. Overall, hybrid winter rye grain production was successful in most environments. For a full description of this experiment, please see this publication in Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management.
  3. Hybrid Rye and Nitrogen Rate. During the 2024-2025 growing season, an experiment was conducted to identify the optimum spring nitrogen application rate for three rye hybrids. The experiment will be repeated during the 2025-2026 growing season. For the first year results, please see this report.  

Acknowledgements: For the three experiments listed above, hybrid rye seed was generously donated by KWS.