Triticale Seed (lb)

× Triticosecale, commonly called triticale, combines characteristics of wheat and cereal rye in a vigorous cool-season grain. This spring-type selection continues putting on growth through cool winter weather, producing an extensive root system and abundant top growth. It is especially useful in orchards, vineyards, and open fields where winter erosion control and substantial organic matter are priorities.

Triticale’s dense roots help hold soil during the rainy season, improve the movement of water into the soil, and capture nitrogen that might otherwise move below the root zone. Above ground, the crop develops enough height and biomass to compete with weeds and provide useful green manure. It can also be paired with a winter legume when growers want the residue and soil coverage of a cereal combined with biological nitrogen fixation.

Plan spring management before planting because a mature triticale stand can generate a large volume of residue. For continued vegetative growth, mow to approximately 3 inches in spring and allow the stand to regrow. When preparing for the next crop, terminate before mature seed develops and allow sufficient time for incorporated material to begin decomposing. Triticale is a cereal grass, so its seed does not need Rhizobium inoculant; only a legume planted with it would require inoculation.

• Scientific Name: × Triticosecale
• Growth Cycle: Cool-season annual cereal grain; spring-type triticale
• Application Rate: 60–80 lb per acre or 2–4 lb per 1,000 sq ft
• Inoculant: Not required. This is a nonlegume cover crop and does not rely on Rhizobium bacteria for nitrogen fixation.
• Germination: Approximately 5–10 days under suitable conditions
• Plant Height: Approximately 5 feet
• Uses: Winter erosion control, nitrogen scavenging, weed competition, green manure, biomass production, and orchard or vineyard floor management
• Management: Mow to approximately 3 inches for regrowth, or terminate before mature seed develops when preparing for the next crop