PollenPLUS™ Technology: Raising the Standard for Hybrid Rye in Canada

When Canadian farmers choose hybrid rye, they are looking for more than yield. They need a crop that can perform consistently under challenging conditions while meeting increasingly strict grain quality standards. That is where KWS PollenPLUS™ technology has become an important advancement in hybrid rye breeding.


PollenPLUS™ is a proprietary breeding innovation developed by KWS to increase pollen production and pollen shedding within their hybrid rye varieties. While that may sound like a simple trait, it plays a critical role in protecting yield and grain quality by helping the crop defend itself against one of rye's most significant challenges: ergot infection.

PollenPLUS™ technology addresses this challenge by enhancing the rye plant's ability to shed pollen. Higher pollen production helps fertilize flowers more quickly, allowing the glumes to close sooner and reducing the window of opportunity for ergot infection. The result is a stronger natural defense mechanism that supports cleaner grain and more reliable crop performance.


For Canadian growers, this benefit is especially relevant. Hybrid rye is increasingly being used across Western Canada as a grain, forage, and feed crop because of its exceptional adaptability. Farmers value hybrid rye for its winter hardiness, drought tolerance, ability to perform on lighter soils, and strong yield potential. However, maintaining grain quality remains essential for achieving maximum marketability and feed value. By reducing susceptibility to ergot, PollenPLUS™ helps protect both the productivity and economic value of the crop.


The livestock sector also benefits from this innovation. Hybrid rye has become a popular feed ingredient for swine, poultry, cattle, and forage production. Lower ergot risk helps support grain quality and feed safety, giving livestock producers greater confidence in the consistency of the feed supply. For farms integrating crop and livestock production, that added security can be an important advantage.

Ultimately, PollenPLUS™ represents what modern plant breeding is all about: solving real-world farm challenges through genetics. Instead of relying solely on management practices to reduce disease pressure, growers can start with varieties designed to deliver stronger pollination and enhanced protection against ergot. That means greater confidence in crop establishment, grain quality, and harvest results.


As hybrid rye continues to gain acres across Canada, technologies like PollenPLUS™ are helping farmers get more from every acre. By combining high yield potential, strong adaptation, and improved ergot defense, KWS hybrid rye gives growers another reason to expect more from their cereal crop.