Wheat and rye are the two most common cereal crops grown in Russia. They have a lot in common, as they are related plants, but they also have differences. Let's look at the differences between rye and wheat, a description of the crops, comparative characteristics of the composition, properties and appearance, by which one can visually distinguish one plant from another.
Description of crops
Both types of cereals belong to the same family - cereals, but to different genera. Both species have spring and winter varieties.
Wheat
It is one of the main grain crops grown in many countries.The grain is processed into flour, which is used to make bread, baked goods and pasta. Alcohol is produced from grain, which is used to feed livestock.
The leaders in wheat production are China, the USA, Russia, Canada, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Culture is the most important international commodity. Two thirds of world grain exports are wheat.
Rye
In terms of production volumes, the crop is inferior to wheat. Rye is grown mainly where the climate is humid and cool. The share of products made from rye flour is approximately 10%, but they are in constant demand and have their fans.
Main differences between plants
Rye and wheat differ in composition, properties and appearance. They differ mainly in the structure and size of the ear, although there are differences in the stems and leaves. If we consider cereals according to the diversity of species, then wheat has the most varieties and varieties registered; rye is inferior to it in this regard.
Comparison of composition
Soft wheat grain contains 11.8 g of protein per 100 g, 2.2 g of fat and 59.5 g of carbohydrates, 10.8 g of fiber. The nutritional value of wheat is 305 kcal.The grain, in addition to the main nutrients, contains vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6 and B9, E, K and PP and the mineral elements potassium, calcium, silicon, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, phosphorus, chlorine, iron, iodine, cobalt, manganese, copper, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.
Rye grain differs from wheat in its main nutritional components: 100 g contains 10.3 g of protein, 1.6 g of fat, 60.8 g of carbohydrates and 15.1 g of fiber. Nutritional value is 338 kcal. There is also a difference in the composition of vitamins and microelements: rye grain contains vitamins B1, B2, B4, B5, B6 and B9 and trace elements: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc.
Both rye and wheat products are contraindicated for people with inflammatory bowel disease and gluten intolerance. In folk medicine, the fruits of the crops also have different uses: grains and wheat sprouts are used to rejuvenate the body, strengthen the immune system, soften and nourish the skin. Rye is used in dietary nutrition.
In folk recipes, cereal is used to increase immunity, reduce weight, prevent cardiovascular disorders, and relieve joint pain. Rye products have a lower glycemic index than wheat products, so people with diabetes can eat rye products.
Property Differences
Rye differs from wheat in that it is more cold-resistant and less demanding on soil fertility, as it has fibrous roots that go deep into the soil up to 2 m. The crop can grow on infertile, acidic, sandy soils, in humid and cool climates. Wheat requires more heat, it also places demands on the nutritional value of the soil; the crop is less cold-resistant.
The difference between the two crops is also evident at the morphological level: rye flowers are pollinated by the wind, wheat is a self-pollinating plant.
Appearance
Cultures can be distinguished already at the germination stage. Rye sprouts have 1 more primary root than wheat sprouts, 4 and 3, respectively. In young plants, before the formation of ears, the leaves differ in color: rye leaves are bluish-green, wheat leaves are bright green. After the formation of the ear, the leaves of wheat also acquire a bluish tint.
What does wheat look like: a herbaceous cereal plant from 30 to 150 cm in height, has erect hollow stems, linear, narrow, flat, glabrous or rough leaves, a fibrous bark system.
The inflorescence of wheat is a linear straight spike, reaches a length of 3-15 cm. The flowers are located on the axis of the spikes in longitudinal rows, have awns up to 18 cm long. The fruits of wheat are oblong or oval grains 5-10 mm long, covered in the upper part with short hairs, in the middle they are divided into 2 parts by a groove. Color brownish-yellow.
Signs of rye: the plant has fibrous roots, long, growing up to 1-2 m. The stem is 80-100 cm long, hollow, straight, not branched, has 5-7 internodes. The leaves are broad-linear, bluish in color, 15-30 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide. The rye inflorescence is a complex spike, formed in a single copy on the plant, from 5 to 15 cm long, 0.7-1.2 wide cm. The grains have awns 2-5 cm long. The fruit of rye is a laterally compressed grain, 5-10 cm long, 1.5-3 mm, with a groove running through the middle. The fruit is oval or elongated in shape, grayish-yellow in color.
