RYE ECONOMICAL PRODUCTION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF USING STRAW IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
Jela Ikanović, Vera Popović, Zdravka Petković, Marijana Jovanović Todorović, Nikola Rakašćan
Abstract
Rye is, after wheat, the second most important bread grain, which is grown in a significantly smaller geographical area in conditions of a colder continental climate. In the total aboveground biomass yield, rye straw accounts for about 50%, although older varieties had a larger share compared to grain. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that the total amount of rye produced worldwide in the 2023–2024 season is 11.71 million tonnes, of which about 7.63 million tonnes are produced by EU nations. An estimated 2.50 million tonnes of this grain were harvested in Poland, the world’s second-largest producer. About 40% of rye grain is used for consumption in EU nations, and about 35% is used for feed. About 20% of the rye grain produced in the EU is used as a raw material in sever