Breeding New Cover Crop Rye Cultivars for the Midwest

Cereal rye has not been the subject of a plant breeding program in the Midwest in several decades. Current breeding efforts with rye at the Noble Foundation in Ardmore, OK and the University of Florida are located in areas that are very different from Kentucky and surrounding states. Interest has been growing for new rye cultivars for use as a grain for distilling or as a cover crop. New rye cultivars for cover cropping likely will have traits more favorable for possible use as a forage, rather than as high-yielding grain types. High yielding grain cultivars of cereal rye often are hybrids with higher seed costs, shorter stature, and later maturity than current dual purpose, older rye cultivars such as 'Aroostook' and 'Wrens Abruzzi. A new rye breeding effort is needed in Kentucky to develop improved cultivars for use in Kentucky and the Midwest.