Rye: Genetics, Breeding, and Cultivation PDF

Preface

I grew up on a farm in the small village of Stadtlengsfeld in the volcanic Rhön Mountains region at the heart of Germany. Of all agricultural crops, rye has performed best in barren soil. Yet at that time I was aware of the robustness of this plant. Years passed before I became a student. More or less by accident, I came into contact with rye again. In 1969, Professor Dieter Mettin offered two other students and me the chance to produce trisomic plants from rye in order to improve genetic analysis. At that time almost nothing was known about it genetically.

Since then, I never dropped rye as a subject of cytology, genetics, and breeding. Over 50 years, my love was to it!

I was even able to inspire some of my students to study the same plant species. They continued this research using more sophisticated methods and molecular techniques.

Because rye still plays an important role as a bread food in many countries around the world, research and breeding are accomplished continuously. Over the years, much was studied and described about the exciting fields of rye research-sometimes in detail and sometimes collectively.

A monograph on rye has not yet come out even after 150 years. This was my incentive to take up this challenge. Approximately 10 years ago, a decision to compile and complete a manuscript on the most important facets of rye research matured. Now, it has been completed. I hope it brings readers benefit, encouragement, and inspiration.