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Common names
In English-speaking countries, primitive rye is barely grown, which is why there is only one name commonly used. In European farming communities, where this cultivar is more widespread, there are a lot of names associated with the crop. Especially in German-speaking regions, where it is for example called 'Waldstaudenroggen' or 'Johannisroggen', refering to the place and time it is commonly grown.

Systematics
Primitive Rye is closely related to common Rye, that is commonly grown all over Europe. In genetic analyses, it is closely related to the Secale cereale group. It is therefore just a still wild variation of Secale cereale, sharing many genetic similarities.

History
Primitive rye (Secale cereale var. multicaule) has been traditionally grown in Central and Eastern Europe. It spread from its origin in Transcaucasia to northern Europe as a wheat weed. Compared to wheat it was more cold resistant and also could be cultivated on nutrient-deficient and acidic soils. Therefore, it became the main breadmaking cereal in northern Europe. It used to be cultivated in areas of fire-fallow cultivation when forests were burnt to get arable land.

Cultivation
Secale cereale var. multicaule is a biennial species. It can be sown in autumn, spring and summer. As it used to be sown on Midsummer’s day, it is also called misdummer rye. Primitive rye grows in pure stands and in combination with annual leguminoses. The yield is between 1.5 to 2.5 t/ha. Compared to wheat it is more cold resistant and grows on nutrient-deficient and acidic soils and has not been modified through breeding.

Usage
The grains of primitive rye are ground into four and used for making bread, which is recognized for its sweet taste and prolonged freshness. Furthermore, since primitive rye is biannual, it can be cut in the first year to provide fodder for cattle, before its grains are harvested after the second year. Additionally, Secale cereale var. multicaule can be used as pasture or meadow as well as a cover crop or intercrop for green manuring, where it can be grown in mixtures as well as in pure stands.

Nutritional Value of Grains
Whole wheat flour form primitive rye grains contains 9.59% of protein and 54.9% of starch and is characterized by high baking quality. Also, primitive rye flour is abundant in phenolic compounds, which have a high antioxidant potential and thus deliver health benefits.

Organic production
In organic production (without artificial chemicals), primitive rye can fulfill a number of functions: Versatile use in a crop rotation; Primitive Rye has low site requirements, as it has been shown to grow well even in acidic and nutrient-low soils. Generally, primitive rye copes well with difficult growing conditions such as frost. It has a strong root-system and is fast growing, dealing well with weed competition too. Additionally, it can be sown in different seasons (altough June is optimal). These prerequisites come together to give the farmer flexibility when and where to sow primitive rye.

Cover crop; The primitive rye grows fast and covers the ground well the whole year. It stabilizes the soil with a strong root system too. Therefor it can be used as a cover-crop, to protect fields from erosion pressure while no cash crop is grown. The rye is perennial in nature, so a field can be covered with it for up to five years, if the field is not used in that time.

Use as fodder or green manure; Primitive rye only sets seed in the second year, the first year, the cuttings can be used as fodder for animals. If seed harvest is not of interest, the plant can be used up to five years to feed animals. Animals can either directly graze the fields, or the straw can be cut at once before winter.

Baking with high nutritional values: Primitive Rye has potential uses in the future due to its nutritional contents. Its grain is more abundant in free phenolics, flavonoids, sterols, tocopherols and carotenoids than common rye grain. It has been shown that the consumption of rye bread and other rye products (primarily as wholegrain products) provides health benefits.