Biosystematics of Secale

Rye was introduced for cultivation very late in China that was called “foreign wheat.” It was popularized to replace out in mountainous areas of southwest and Northwest China after the nineteenth century. Tracing its history in the southwest mountainous area, it was found that most of them were introduced by missionaries. There was no record of rye in the writings before the Qing dynasty. It is a common field weed in Xinjiang and is cultivated sporadically. In foreign countries, they generally agreed with Вавлов’s (1917) opinion overseas. He thought rye was a secondary crop of inter-field weeds transformed into cultivation. It was difficult to determine when the origin of rye originated because archaeological finds of rye were rare. Currently, rye was cultivated in the alpine mountains in Central Asia around 3000 BC. According to Вавлов’s (1917, 1926, 1992) opinions, rye, as a field weed, was more resistant than wheat and barley in this alpine region, thus replacing wheat and barley as a pure crop. Rye was introduced into Europe around 2500 BC to 2000 BC (Khush 1963). It was cultivated in the northeast of Europe by its strong resistance. After the eighteenth century, with the development of the economy, it was gradually replaced by wheat with better quality and taste. But because of vodka and rye bread were favored by some Europeans, in some certain areas, rye was still cultivated in Northeast European countries. Besides, it has the characteristics of cold resistance, anti-acid, anti-desertification, anti-disease, and some special heritability, such as many small ears. Therefore, wheat breeders attach great importance to it as an essential germplasm resource.