Grasses - Rye - Forages of Florida - Solutions for Your Life - UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

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Rye
Species:	Rye
Scientific Name:	Secale cereale
Cultivars:	Recommended varieties by maturity: Early: FL 401 (for early grazing or for use in blends), AGS 104. Medium: Wrenz 96, Wrens Abruzzi, Pennington Wintergraze 70, and Early Graze Late: Bates, Oklon. For the cool-season forage variety recommendations report, cl ick this link.
Growth Habit:	3 to 4 feet tall, bunchgrass, auricles present and usually pubescent, leaves blue-green color.
Life Cycle:	Annual
Origin:	Europe
Production Season:	November-April
Nutritive Value:	Medium to high. If not harvested timely (before it heads out) the quality of hay drops significantly.
Use:	Forage grazing, hay, cover crop.
Adaptation
Soil:	Sandy-loam, clay-loam
pH:	5.2-7.5
Rainfall:	15-50 inches
Temperature:	Most cold tolerant small grain crop.
Management
Planting Date:	Oct. 15-Nov.15 When planted very early (before Oct. 31), it is often infected by various seedling diseases.
Planting Depth:	1 to 2 inches
Seeding Rate:	90 to 120 lb/acre (1.5 to 2 bu)
Seed Cost:	$0.30/lb; $27 to 30/acre
Fertilization:	For fertilization info click this link
Production:	4000 to 6000 lb/acre
Notes
In mild winters it will head out early (Feb-Mar). Graze at height of 8-12 inches and stop grazing when at 3-5 inches; rest period: 7- 15 days. Susceptible to leaf and glume 'blotch' (Septoria spp.) and also leafspot 'Bipolaris' (formerly Helminthosporium spp.)--both diseases cause lesions on leaf with no distinct shape to them, and associated to heavy N fertilization and wet, windy and instances of warm weather 60°F to 77°F.

Rye

Adaptation

Management

Notes