What triticale is grown in Washington?

The best documented regional system is winter grain triticale in semiarid inland dryland rotations near Ritzville.

How much triticale seed was used in the trial?

The study reports 50 lb/acre in 17-inch rows with a custom deep-furrow drill. Confirm current seeding advice and seed characteristics before using the number.

What yield can Washington triticale farms expect?

The 2011–2019 Ritzville trial reported 63–111 bu/acre and an 86 bu/acre mean. It is not a statewide yield forecast.

Growing triticale in Washington

The strongest Washington evidence is winter grain triticale in a semiarid inland Pacific Northwest dryland rotation. A nine-year WSU/USDA farmer-field trial near Ritzville records deep-furrow September drilling and grain yields; those are practices and outcomes from that farm system, not statewide recommendations or forage guidance.

By AgriAuditor. Updated October 7, 2026.

Scope: Winter grain triticale in semiarid inland Washington dryland rotations. Forage and pasture systems are distinct and not covered.

Triticale shown for crop identification — Crop-identification photo; not a Washington production field. Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0.

At a glance

Production system: Winter grain in a no-till dryland rotation near Ritzville¹
Trial seeding practice: First 10 days of September; deep-furrow drill; 17-inch rows; 50 lb seed/acre¹
Trial harvest: Early August in the study system¹
Historical trial yield: 63–111 bu/acre, 86 bu/acre mean over 2011–2019; not a Washington yield target¹

Planting and harvest calendar for Washington

Use the source-backed production windows to coordinate establishment, crop care and harvest. Production districts and cultivars can have different cycles; the historical climate adds context for the field plan.

Planting: Ritzville winter-grain trial drilling¹

Jan—

Feb—

Mar—

Apr—

May—

Jun—

Jul—

Aug—

SepPlant

Oct—

Nov—

Dec—

The WSU/USDA farmer-field trial drilled during the first ten days of September to reach stored soil moisture. This is one dryland trial practice, not a statewide planting recommendation.

Harvest: Ritzville trial harvest¹

Jan—

Feb—

Mar—

Apr—

May—

Jun—

Jul—

AugHarvest

Sep—

Oct—

Nov—

Dec—

The trial harvested in early August. Use crop maturity and current local conditions; the month band is a historical study reference, not a forecast.

Historical monthly climate

Reference period: 1996-01-01 to 2025-12-31. ERA5-Land monthly mean soil temperature at 0–7 cm, air temperature and frost days at the regional reference point (47, -119.5). Select a month to inspect its historical conditions.

Month tiles show mean topsoil temperature.

September historical conditions

Mean topsoil temperature: 21.8°C
Mean air temperature: 19.8°C
Mean frost days per month: 0.0 days

These are monthly means at one reference location. They describe seasonal field conditions, not crop maturity, actual seed-zone conditions, frost forecasts or a planting recommendation. Harvest bands follow the crop-specific production sources above.

Climate source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API

Choose grain use and rotation before planting

Plan a semiarid grain-triticale rotation¹

1
Confirm grain end use
The cited system targets grain, primarily livestock-feed use.
2
Select the rotation position
Use the study’s dryland no-till context.
3
Check stored soil moisture
Establishment depended on stored moisture in the trial.
4
Plan a buyer or on-farm feed use
Match harvest and storage capacity to the end use.

Do not combine grain and forage systems: The nine-year Ritzville farmer-field study compares winter grain triticale with winter wheat in a no-till three-year rotation. Forage triticale has different harvest stages and quality goals; do not use a forage source to define this grain page.^1,2

Use the Ritzville drill setup as a trial reference

Ritzville winter triticale establishment¹

1
Measure stored moisture
Use field-specific soil moisture and fall conditions.
2
Prepare deep-furrow seeding
The study used a custom drill.
3
Set the trial row spacing
The reported configuration used 17-inch rows.
4
Calibrate the seed rate
The trial used 50 lb/acre; confirm seed size and local recommendations.

Reported seeding details belong to one trial: The study drilled in the first ten days of September using a custom deep-furrow drill, 17-inch rows and 50 lb seed/acre to reach stored moisture. This is a documented field practice, not a statewide planting date, seed rate or monthly feasibility classification.¹

Manage fertility from field and rotation records

Monitor a dryland triticale field¹

1
Test the field
Record soil depth, fertility and previous crop.
2
Track precipitation
Measure growing-season and stored soil moisture.
3
Scout stand and weeds
Record establishment, winter survival and crop competition.
4
Log inputs by year
Keep rate and timing connected to field conditions.

Base fertilizer decisions on soil tests: In the trial, nutrients were managed in relation to the comparable winter-wheat system and documented by season. The study site was a deep silt loam and cannot represent every Washington dryland field; base local decisions on soil tests and current WSU recommendations.¹

Use trial harvest and yield with their limits

Evaluate grain harvest from the Ritzville trial¹

1
Check grain maturity
Use crop condition and harvest equipment readiness.
2
Plan early-August harvest capacity
The study’s date is a local historical reference.
3
Dry and store grain
Follow current buyer and storage moisture specifications.
4
Compare trial records
Benchmark only against the study’s field and year range.

The 86 bu/acre mean is not an expected yield: The 2011–2019 trial harvested in early August and reported 63–111 bu/acre, averaging 86 bu/acre. Those outcomes depend on the trial’s farm, cultivar and management and must not be represented as a Washington state average.¹

Frequently asked questions

What triticale is grown in Washington?: The best documented regional system is winter grain triticale in semiarid inland dryland rotations near Ritzville.
When was winter triticale drilled in the Ritzville study?: The study drilled during the first ten days of September to reach stored soil moisture. This is one trial’s practice, not a statewide planting date.
How much triticale seed was used in the trial?: The study reports 50 lb/acre in 17-inch rows with a custom deep-furrow drill. Confirm current seeding advice and seed characteristics before using the number.
What yield can Washington triticale farms expect?: The 2011–2019 Ritzville trial reported 63–111 bu/acre and an 86 bu/acre mean. It is not a statewide yield forecast.

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Sources and image credits

1. WSU Crops & Soils — Winter Triticale in the Semiarid U.S. Pacific Northwest Drylands — Published 2021; trial years 2011–2019. Ritzville dryland grain system, rotation, seeding, harvest and year-specific yields.
2. WSU Extension — Historical forage triticale study — 1988. Different forage objective; cited only to maintain the grain/forage distinction.
3. Triticale crop-identification photo — Wikimedia Commons contributor — Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 3.0. Crop-identification image only; it is not a photograph of the named region or a production recommendation.

Image credits

Crop-identification photo; not a Washington production field. Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Photo sources and license details

Figures are published averages or study assumptions for the places named, not guarantees for your field. Check current local recommendations and product labels before acting.