Secale vavilovii

Grossh.

Poaceae Edible: Seeds, Cereal 3 iNaturalist observations

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(с) Шильников Дмитрий Сергеевич, некоторые права защищены (CC BY-NC), загрузил Шильников Дмитрий Сергеевич

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Summary

Secale vavilovii is a species of grass (family Poaceae), native to Turkey, the Transcaucasus, Iraq, and Iran. An annual, it is a crop wild relative of rye (Secale cereale) and is being studied for its resistance to Fusarium ear blight and Septoria leaf blotch.

Description

An annual grass growing to 1.2 m tall with hermaphroditic wind-pollinated flowers. Tolerates light, medium, and heavy well-drained soils across mildly acid to mildly alkaline pH ranges. Requires full sun, prefers moist soil, and can endure drought. Hardy to UK zone 3.

Edible Uses

The seeds are cooked and used as a cereal grain — suitable for making bread, cakes, and thickening soups.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Armenia, Caucasus, Europe, Turkey, Türkiye,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species but it should succeed as an annual crop in Britain. It might be possible to sow it as an over-wintering annual. Succeeds in most soils but prefers a well-drained light soil in a sunny position.

Propagation

Sow seed in situ in March or October, barely covering it. Germination should occur within 2 weeks.

Other Uses

None known.

Synonyms

S. cereale vavilovii. (Grossheim.)Mayse.

References (3)

Trudy Prikl. Bot. Selekc. 13(2):473, 474, 481. 1924
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Zeven, A. C. & de West, J. M. J., 1982, Dictionary of cultivated plants and their regions of diversity. Wageningen. p 93