Cereal Rye (Ryecorn)

We recommend Cereal Ryecorn. Rye outperforms other cover crops on infertile, sandy or acidic soils and tolerates high aluminium levels. It handles drought, cold and sandblast, and it germinates even in dry soil. It suits areas with 350mm+ rainfall, and on lighter acid soils it can yield close to wheat and triticale when sown in May or June.

Cereal Ryecorn is our go-to for erosion-prone light soils. It establishes quickly, withstands sandblast, and its extensive root system holds the soil together. It is drought and cold tolerant and suits 350mm+ rainfall areas. It also suppresses weeds and builds fertility on infertile sands. Sown with vetch, it adds legume nitrogen as well.

We recommend Cereal Ryecorn at a higher rate when sown on its own and a lower rate in mixes. Our catalogue lists 40–60 kg/ha as a single species and 15–30 kg/ha in mixes, but our 2026 guide gives a higher single-species rate. Please talk to us to confirm the rate for your paddock and purpose.

We recommend Cereal Ryecorn for early grazing in cold areas. Rye germinates at soil temperatures as low as about 1°C and keeps growing from around 3°C, so it gets away when other cereals stall. It establishes fast and is quick to first graze, filling the autumn and winter feed gap. It suits 350mm+ rainfall and sowing from early autumn.

We recommend sowing Cereal Ryecorn with a legume such as our Common, Benatas or Popany Vetch. Rye's roots take up a lot of soil nitrogen, which is released slowly as the residue breaks down. The vetch fixes nitrogen that offsets this tie-up. Use the lower mix rate of rye when sowing it with vetch.

Cereal Ryecorn is relatively tolerant of take-all and rusts, which makes it a useful break after grassy pastures. Crown rot is still a concern. Avoid paddocks with durum wheat in the last 1–3 years, heavy winter cereal residue, or a high grass burden. Rye suits 350mm+ rainfall and a wide range of soils, including acid sands.

Yes, Cereal Ryecorn tolerates limited waterlogging and will grow in heavy clays and poorly drained soils, although it prefers light loams and sands. It is not a true waterlogging specialist, so for paddocks that stay wet for long periods, talk to us about other options. Rye also tolerates drought, cold and high aluminium, and suits 350mm+ rainfall.

Yes, Cereal Ryecorn can be grazed, cut for hay or silage, or harvested for grain. Graze it once plants are well anchored and won't be pulled out. Cut it for hay or silage before it gets stemmy, because rye loses quality quickly once it heads. As with any cereal, watch for nitrate risk on heavily fertilised crops.

We recommend a season of Cereal Ryecorn. Its rapid establishment and deep roots help it compete with weeds. It scavenges nitrogen, potassium and other nutrients from deep in the profile and releases them as the residue breaks down. It also provides grazing in the meantime. Sow it with vetch, then follow with a permanent pasture such as our SouWest Pasture Mix.

On very acidic, infertile or sandy soils, we recommend Cereal Ryecorn because it tolerates high aluminium and poor fertility better than most cereals. It also germinates in colder soil. Our Joey Triticale suits better soils and is also a strong grazing cereal. On lighter acid soils sown in May or June, rye can yield close to triticale.