Field Management

Spring assessment of Hybrid Fall Rye fields starts early to ensure winter survival. Depending on the location of the farm on the prairies this can be as early as late March to late April. As soon as the soil is above 0 degrees at the crown of the plant the Hybrid Fall Rye will start waking up. Yield potential is set very early in the season, so it is important to confirm a viable stand and plan spring fertility.

Early scouting tips:

• There are a few things to watch for to ensure the plants survived winter. If the soil is still cold, above ground growth will be limited. However, dig out some plants and check for root growth. White roots and soil attached to root hairs confirm the plants are alive.
• If there is new leaf growth, pull out the emerging leaf from the main stem. If it is discoloured or brown at the point it pulls out, that plant will not survive, however if it is healthy green, the plant should be fine.
• Winter injury is most likely to occur in areas of the field that have standing water in spring. Hybrid Fall Rye has good winter hardiness but does not like sitting in water.

Scouting when the field is already greening up:

• At this stage assess stand uniformity
• Plant counts help determine yield potential. Optimal plant density for the highest yield potential is 17 plants per square foot. However, fields can still be economically viable with 10 – 12 plants per square foot.
• Lower plant densities can be viable because Hybrid Fall Rye has high tillering potential compared to other cereals.
• Remember to check the low areas for winter injury from standing water

Hybrid Fall Rye is a great fit in a crop rotation from a weed management perspective. With proper fall management (see seeding section for establishment tips) often no herbicides are required in spring. A well established field is a strong competitor with weeds. Additionally Hybrid Fall Rye has an allelopathic effect which reduces germination of weeds.

Fall Weed Control

The best time to address weeds in Hybrid Fall Rye is in the fall. A pre-seed burn off keeps the field clean as the plants are establishing. Fall is also a great time to control seedling winter annuals and perennial weeds. There are inexpensive herbicides (link to registered herbicides) that will provide great control at this time of year. The crop is safe to spray at the 2-3 leaf stage up to a killing frost. Avoid spraying with frost, allowing for 3-4 days after a light frost to get the best efficacy on the weeds. Seek advice from a crop advisor or chemical provider for product specific rates and timing.

Spring Weed Control

It is advisable to avoid spring spraying if possible as any tracks in the crop can result in delayed plants and increased risk of ergot. (see “Ergot Best Management Practices”) Typically, with a strong fall establishment and fall herbicide application, spring weed control will not be necessary. The benefits of weed control should be weighed compared to the risk of ergot and its effect on grain marketing. If spraying is required, seek advice from a crop advisor or chemical provider. Always follow product label information.

The application of herbicides needs to be done early to avoid crop injury and to hit the correct stage for weeds before the Hybrid Fall Rye canopy is closed. Additional planning may be required as spray timing will often occur when seeding of annual crops. Given the variability of spring temperatures, extra attention should be given to avoid spraying when temperatures are too low for the efficacy of the spray. Be sure to allow for a recovery period after a frost, see label for additional information.

Disease Control

Hybrid Fall Rye is less susceptible to diseases than other cereal crops, with the exception of ergot. See “Ergot Best Management Practices”(link) section for more information.

The image below shows the relative importance of the head, leaves and stem to the yield for wheat, rye and triticale. Approximately 80% of yield comes from photosynthesis of the head and stem on rye compared to 43% for wheat. While it is very important to keep leaves of wheat healthy to get top yield, for rye it is less so.

Typically fungicides are not required however the crop should be scouted on a regular basis. If disease conditions warrant a fungicide application, apply at flag leaf stage. Do not apply during pollination, avoid Propiconazole products (eg. Tilt 250E) and consider aerial application to avoid trampling crop.

Some registered products for rust control are: Acapela, Caramba, Evito 480, Headline EC, Nexicor, Priaxor, Trivapro and Twinline.

Fusarium in most years is not a problem in Hybrid Fall Rye. The early timing of pollination puts Hybrid Fall Rye out of sync with the fusarium cycle. Occasionally there are years that will have some fusarium but overall levels have been very low in Western Canada. There are no fungicides that are effective in preventing fusarium on Hybrid Fall Rye.

Insect Control

There are very few insect pests of concern with Hybrid Fall Rye. Scouting is encouraged for wireworms, cutworms and later in the season true armyworms. If spraying is required, seek advice from a crop advisor or chemical provider.

Hybrid Fall Rye requires approximately 30 cm of moisture to maximize production. Irrigation strategy is to ensure there is adequate moisture in the fall without saturating the field. Early spring water is important to initiate growth, top up fields between 1st and 2nd node (during stem elongation) and then slow down. Also, ensure there is ample soil moisture leading up to flowering to ensure the soil profile is well supplied. No irrigation during flowering, as this will increase the risk of disease. After pollination is complete, irrigate to fill grain.

Depending on the market, ergot needs to be below .08%. Cleaning is the last resort to ensuring market access for production.

While ergot is present in Western Canada every year, the prevalence is determined by climate. Spores are most prevalent when late spring, early summer is cool and wet. Infection of Rye occurs during the flowering period when ascospores can infect the stigma on open flowers. Kernels in infected florets do not develop but are replaced by ergot sclerotia bodies. The key to reducing ergot infection is to reduce the opportunity the ergot ascospores have to infect an open floret. Once the rye floret is pollinated it will close removing the opportunity for ergot infection. The shortest pollination period with lots of pollen results in the least ergot.

Below is a compiled list of practices that have shown to significantly reduce the risk of ergot in your production.

Variety

Variety selection can assist in the amount of pollen produced, blocking the chance of ergot infection.

The breeding company, KWS has developed Hybrid Fall Rye varieties with a gene that triggers increased pollen production. All KWS Pollen Plus™ varieties have this trait.

Planting Hybrid Fall Rye versus conventional rye varieties ensures greater stand uniformity. Stand uniformity results in the shortest possible flowering period.

Cultural Practices

Certain cultural practices can shorten the duration of pollination. The following is a list of options to consider.

Establishment – research and experience have consistently shown that even, well-established fields have the lowest levels of ergot infection. Important considerations to achieve this:

Early seeding – research over 5 sites in Western Canada conducted in 2019 showed more than 50% reduction in ergot from early seeding at the beginning of September vs. seeding 2 weeks later in mid-September. (see image below, insert R&D’s research chart)

Seeding rate – optimal seed rate is 0.8 Units per acre to achieve 17 plants/sq’ in the production season. Research has shown that this is an excellent balance for tillering and maximum yield potential. Lower plant densities can result in areas that are too thin, resulting in late tillers that extend the pollination period.

Uniform emergence – ensuring proper seed placement, consistent seeding depth will result in a more uniform field.

Mowing ditches and grassed areas to prevent grasses from going to seed will reduce the amount of ergot inoculum in the general area.

For more detailed information on seeding click here. (link)

Mechanical damage

Damage to plants from trampling can cause plants to be delayed and pollinate later than the main crop. It is best not to travel on the field after growth stage 32, once stem elongation begins. Best practice is to avoid traveling on the field in the spring altogether. This can be achieved by planning all weed control and fertilization in the fall.

Chemical damage

Plants can be delayed by applying the wrong chemistries or by spraying late. Be sure to follow label directions for all pesticides. We strongly encourage growers to avoid phenoxy herbicides eg 2.4-D and MCPA in the production season. (link to herbicides) Also, it is very important to avoid fungicides during pollination. (link to disease section)

Harvest management of ergot. Ergot will normally be concentrated in certain areas of the field, such as outside rounds, thin patches that had late tillers, or tracks made in the field. Some growers harvest these areas separately to reduce the amount of ergot in the main sample.