''Secale'' is a genus of the

grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns a ...

tribe Triticeae, which is related to barley (''Hordeum'') and wheat (''Triticum''). The genus includes cultivated species such as rye (''Secale cereale'') as well as weedy and wild rye species. The most well known species of the genus is the cultivated rye, ''S. cereale'', which is grown as a grain and forage crop. Wild and weedy rye species help provide a huge gene pool that can be used for improvement of the cultivated rye.Chikmawati, T., Miftahudin, & Gustafson, J. P. (2013). Rye (''Secale cereale'' L.) and wheat (''Triticum aestivum'' L.) simple sequence repeat variation within ''Secale'' spp. (''Poaceae''). ''HAYATI Journal of Biosciences'', ''20''(4), 163–170. doi:10.4308/hjb.20.4.163 The genus ''Secale'' includes the cultivated rye and four to eleven wild species depending on the species criteria used. Commonly recognized species of the genus are the annuals, ''S. cereale'', ''S. vavilovii'' Grouch, and ''S. sylvestre'' and perennial ''S. strictum'' (syn. ''S. montanum''). ''Secale cereale'' includes cultivated rye and other weedy rye types. ''Secale strictum'' is a group that includes distinct geographical isolates. ''Secale vavilovii'' is the most different of the genus as it separated early from the other species in the genus.

Evolutionary history

''Secale strictum'' subsp. ''africanum'', ''Secale strictum anatolicum'', ''Secale sylvestre'', and ''Secale strictum'' subsp. ''strictum'' evolved in succession from a common ancestor of ''Secale'' after geographic separation and genetic differentiation. The annual weedy rye evolved from ''S. strictum'' subspecies ''strictum'' was domesticated to cultivated rye. Data suggests division of the genus into three species: the annual wild species ''S. sylvestre'', the perennial wild species ''S. strictum'' including many subspecies, and ''S. cereale'' with cultivated and weedy rye subspecies. ''Secale sylvestre'' is believed to be the most distant relative of ''S. cereale'' and most closely related to other outgroups. This is seen through lower rates of rye simple sequence repeat (SSR) sequences compared to other members of the genus ''Secale''. ''Secale sylvestre'' is, therefore, the most ancient ''Secale'' species. Following separation of ''S. sylvestre'' from other taxa of the genus, perennial taxa also separated. ''Secale montanum'' descended directly from ''S. sylvestre'' and other perennial taxa originated from ''S. montanum''. Perennial taxa are the progenitors of annual taxa. All annual taxa are most closely related and form a monophyletic group.

Crop development

Understanding wild plant species is becoming important in the development of new crops. The wild perennial rye (''Secale montanum'') is the ancestor of the cultivated rye (''Secale cereale''). Many forms of perennial rye are found in Turkey including ''Secale montatum'' Guss var. ''anatolicum'' Boiss and ''Secale montanum'' Guss var. ''vavilovi'' Grossh. These perennial species usually have large stature, high frost resistance, strong tillering ability, and tolerance to poor soils and drought. Faults of the ryes that need to be overcome include small and sparse leaves and breaking peduncles. ACE-1 perennial cereal (PC) rye has been developed in Canada as a new crop for silage and green-feed production. The rye was developed by first crossing ''Secale cereale'' L. (rye) and ''Secale montanum'' (perennial wild rye), then backcrossing the produced F1 generation with ''Secale cereale'' L., and selecting for the perennial types. Beneficial characteristics of the crop include early growth in spring, competing well with weeds, and producing significant regrowth for silage or pasture. PC rye also has an extensive root system that can be used to improve soil tilth and prevent soil erosion during the fall and winter months. The newly developed crop has not shown significant susceptibility to disease. The new cultivar is currently being further evaluated to test for adaptation and yield potential.Acharya, S., Mir, Z., & Moyer, J. (2004). ACE-1 perennial cereal rye. ''Canadian Journal of Plant Science'', ''84''(3), 819–821. These characteristics could make this species an attractive crop to be used in the future. ; SpeciesKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> * '' Secale africanum'' Stapf – Cape Province of South Africa * '' Secale anatolicum'' Boiss. – Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Caucasus, Iraq, Iran * ''

Secale cereale Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe (Triticeae) and is closely related to both wheat (''Triticum'') and barley (genus ''Hordeum''). Rye grain i ...

'' L. – Turkey; widely cultivated and naturalized in many places * '' Secale ciliatiglume'' (Boiss.) Grossh. – Turkey, Iraq, Iran * '' Secale iranicum'' Kobyl. – Iran * ''

Secale montanum ''Secale montanum'', wild perennial rye, is a species in the rye genus '' Secale '' native to the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Caucasus region, and eastwards through Iran to Pakistan. It is a short-lived, self-fertile perennial. It is thou ...

'' Guss. – from Spain + Morocco to Pakistan * '' Secale segetale'' (Zhuk.) Roshev. – Central Asia, Xinjiang, Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Caucasus * '' Secale sylvestre'' Host – Balkans, Hungary, Ukraine, European Russia, Caucasus, Central Asia * '' Secale vavilovii'' Grossh. – Turkey, Caucasus, Iraq, Iran ; formerly included see ''

Agropyron ''Agropyron'' is a genus of Eurasian plants in the grass family), native to Europe and Asia but widely naturalized in North America. Species in the genus are commonly referred to as wheatgrass. ; Species * ''Agropyron badamense'' - Tajikis ...

Brachypodium ''Brachypodium'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, widespread across much of Africa, Eurasia, and Latin America. The genus is classified in its own tribe Brachypodieae. Flimsy upright stems form tussocks. Flowers appear in compact s ...

Dasypyrum

Eremopyrum ''Eremopyrum'' is a genus Eurasian and North African plants in the grass family. One species, ''Eremopyrum triticeum'' has become widely established as a weed in parts of North America. All the species are annuals with a dense, 2-sided, spikelik ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7215110 Pooideae Poaceae genera