Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
As Western Canadian producers navigate tight fall planting windows and unpredictable weather patterns, hybrid fall rye continues to stand out for its high yield potential, natural weed suppression, and expanding market opportunities across the Prairies.
Against the backdrop of demo plots at Enchant, Alberta, Shaun Haney caught up with Greg Stamp, seed business manager at Stamp Seeds, to discuss what is driving grower interest in the crop. Stamp says that rising feed grain prices, supported by ethanol demand and livestock feeding operations in southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, have significantly strengthened market liquidity for hybrid rye.
Beyond market draw, the crop provides critical agronomic advantages, particularly when planted at the recommended rate of one million live seeds per acre between late August and mid-September. "If you can get to 3-leaf or 4-leaf in the fall with a few tillers... next spring you're going to have really good suppression of wild oats and kochia," Stamp says adding that the physical early competition and allelopathic properties of rye really help to suppress those weeds.
Stamp says that proper fall management is critical to unlocking the crop’s full potential, recommending a quick-releasing nitrogen source like straight urea applied in the fall, rather than slow-release options. On irrigated ground, hybrid rye offers net returns roughly 10 per cent above CWRS wheat, while on dryland, its ability to capitalize on early season moisture gives it up to a 50 per cent net return advantage over other cereals in dry years.
Website: realagriculture.com
#rye #farming #agriculture #agronomy
Find us on our other social media platforms:
X/Twitter: twitter.com/realagriculture
Instagram: instagram.com/realagriculture
Facebook: facebook.com/realagmedia
As Western Canadian producers navigate tight fall planting windows and unpredictable weather patterns, hybrid fall rye continues to stand out for its high yield potential, natural weed suppression, and expanding market opportunities across the Prairies.
Against the backdrop of demo plots at Enchant, Alberta, Shaun Haney caught up with Greg Stamp, seed business manager at Stamp Seeds, to discuss what is driving grower interest in the crop. Stamp says that rising feed grain prices, supported by ethanol demand and livestock feeding operations in southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, have significantly strengthened market liquidity for hybrid rye.
Beyond market draw, the crop provides critical agronomic advantages, particularly when planted at the recommended rate of one million live seeds per acre between late August and mid-September. "If you can get to 3-leaf or 4-leaf in the fall with a few tillers... next spring you're going to have really good suppression of wild oats and kochia," Stamp says adding that the physical early competition and allelopathic properties of rye really help to suppress those weeds.
Stamp says that proper fall management is critical to unlocking the crop’s full potential, recommending a quick-releasing nitrogen source like straight urea applied in the fall, rather than slow-release options. On irrigated ground, hybrid rye offers net returns roughly 10 per cent above CWRS wheat, while on dryland, its ability to capitalize on early season moisture gives it up to a 50 per cent net return advantage over other cereals in dry years.
Website: realagriculture.com
#rye #farming #agriculture #agronomy
Find us on our other social media platforms:
X/Twitter: twitter.com/realagriculture
Instagram: instagram.com/realagriculture
Facebook: facebook.com/realagmedia
