Rye
Rye is a
grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to
barley and
wheat. Rye grain is used for
flour, rye bread, rye beer, some
whiskies, some
vodkas, and animal
fodder. It can also be eaten whole, either as boiled rye berries, or by being rolled, similar to
rolled oats.
Rye should not be confused with
Ryegrass which is used for lawns, pasture, and hay for livestock.
Encyclopedia
Rye is a
grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to
barley and
wheat. Rye grain is used for
flour, rye bread, rye beer, some
whiskies, some
vodkas, and animal
fodder. It can also be eaten whole, either as boiled rye berries, or by being rolled, similar to
rolled oats.
Rye should not be confused with
Ryegrass which is used for lawns, pasture, and hay for livestock.
History
The early history of rye is unclear. The wild ancestor of rye has not been identified with certainty, but is one of a number of species that grow wild in central and eastern Turkey, and adjacent areas. Domesticated rye occurs in small quantities at a number of Neolithic sites in Turkey, such as PPNB Can Hasan III, but is otherwise virtually absent from the archaeological record until the Bronze Age of central Europe, c. 1800-1500 BC. It is possible that rye travelled west from Turkey as a minor admixture in wheat, and was only later cultivated in its own right.
Since the
Middle Ages, rye has been widely cultivated in
Central and
Eastern Europe and is the main
bread cereal in most areas east of the
French-
German border and north of
Hungary.
Claims of much earlier cultivation of rye, at the Epipalaeolithic site of Tell Abu Hureyra in the Euphrates valley of northern Syria, remain controversial. Critics point to inconsistencies in the radiocarbon dates, and identifications based solely on grain, rather than on chaff.
Agronomy
Rye, alone or overseeded, is planted as a livestock forage or harvested for hay. It is highly tolerant of soil acidity and is more tolerant of dry and cool conditions than
wheat, though not as tolerant of cold as
barley. In Turkey, rye is often grown as an admixture in wheat crops. It is appreciated for the flavour it brings to bread, as well as its ability to compensate for wheat's reduced yields in hard years.
The
flame moth, rustic shoulder-knot and turnip moth are among the species of
Lepidoptera whose larvae feed on rye.
Rye is highly susceptible to the
ergot fungus. Consumption of ergot-infected rye by humans and animals results in a serious medical condition known as ergotism. Ergotism can cause both physical and mental harm, including convulsions, miscarriage, necrosis of digits, and hallucinations. Historically, damp northern countries that have depended on rye as a staple crop were subject to periodic epidemics of this condition.
Uses
Rye bread, including
pumpernickel, is a widely eaten food in Northern Europe. Rye is also used to make the familiar
crisp bread. Rye
flour has a lower
gluten content than
wheat flour, and contains a higher proportion of soluble fiber.
Some non-food uses of rye include
rye whisky and use as an alternative medicine in a liquid form, known as rye extract. Often marketed as Oralmat, rye extract is a liquid obtained from rye and similar to that extracted from
Wheatgrass. Its benefits are said to include a strengthened
immune system, increased energy levels and relief from
allergies, but there is no clinical evidence for its efficacy.
Rye straw is used to make corn dollies.
See also
...
References
External links
- Gordon Hillmann: , in: The Holocene 11/4 , p. 383-393.
