Triticale (×
Triticosecale), is a
hybrid of
wheat (
Triticum) and
rye (
Secale) first
bred in laboratories during the late 19th century in
Scotland and
Sweden. Commercially available triticale is almost always a second-generation hybrid, i.e., a cross between two kinds of primary (first-cross) triticales. As a rule, triticale combines the yield potential and
grain quality of wheat with the disease and environmental tolerance (including soil conditions) of rye. Only recently has it been developed into a commercially viable crop. Depending on the
cultivar, triticale can more or less resemble either of its parents. It is grown mostly for
forage or
fodder, although some triticale-based foods can be purchased at
health food stores or are to be found in some
breakfast cereals.