Forage Identification: Triticale

Adaptation:
Hybrid between wheat and rye. It is adapted to a wide range of soils and requires only moderate fertility and moisture. It does not tolerate flooding and is only slightly drought resistant.

Growth Habitat:
Annual crop. It again is very similar to wheat and rye. It has many tillers.

Plant Characteristics:
It is a bunch type grass with upright tillers just like wheat and rye. Leaves are rolled in the whorl. Triticale has a spike with one spikelet per node each containing several florets. The stems grow upright, have hollow internodes, and are smooth. Root system is fibrous.

Seed Characteristics:
Very hard to distinguish from wheat. Roughly the same size and color as wheat.

Important Identifying Characteristics:
Triticale has a spike with one spikelet per node each containing several florets. Triticale looks like wheat but the awns resemble rye and have very membrane-like ligules.

Primary Uses:
Pasture, hay and silage.