Switching to hybrid rye as an alternative to wheat this autumn could improve cropping security, says a plant breeder.
Decent margins and market demand from anaerobic digestion plants has sparked renewed interest in hybrid rye for the coming season, says KWS seed specialist and product manager Rory Hannam.
Once viewed as a niche crop, hybrid rye is rapidly growing in popularity, says Mr Hannam – especially as second and third wheat margins are squeezed by high input costs, lower commodity prices and increasingly variable yields.
Guaranteed market
“There is a guaranteed market provided by anaerobic digestion,” he explains. “There are 438 of a total of 640 plants in the UK currently running on feedstocks derived from 40,000ha of hybrid rye crops.
“Most plant operators offer staged payments; 30 per cent at drilling in September or October, 30 per cent in March or April, and 40 per cent on intake. Mr Hannam says this benefitsbenefit farmers in terms of cashflow.
From an arable perspective, hybrid rye fits well with the direction of UK agriculture, with specific advantages over other cereals. That’s because the crop can outperform wheat as a second or third cereal.
“Its wide drilling window from early to mid-September to early-November also spreads the autumn workload, and if whole-cropped in June, it also provides an opportunity to get on top of grassweeds and provide early entry for oilseed rape.
Drought tolerance
“It’s extensive, deep-rooting habits make it one of the most drought-tolerant crops available, requiring much less water than wheat.
“At negligible risk from take-all, septoria, eyespot and barley yellow dwarf virus, hybrid rye also has excellent resistance to yellow rust, which is becoming a bigger concern in other cereals.”
Another crop benefit is its lower nitrogen and fungicide input requirement, at 100kgN/ha less than second or third wheat.
“Grain yields of 10-13t/ha are common, with higher straw yields providing a useful additional income for livestock farmers.
Established varieties KWS Serafino and KWS Tayo were joined on the 2026/27 AHDB Descriptive List by KWS Emphor, KWS’s highest yielding variety, for grain or wholecrop.
“KWS Emphor features strong brown rust resistance and excellent drought tolerance and was the highest yielding variety on the AHDB Descriptive List in the dry harvest of 2025,” says Mr Hannam.
Hybrid rye is a well-suited to wheat growers who are seeking more security this autumn, he adds. It has consistent yield potential, attractive economic credentials, excellent weather resilience and secure end markets.