Triticale: Present status and challenges ahead

During the past three decades, the world has witnessed dramatic increases in the productivity of cereals, especially in developing countries. These increases, which were well above the growth of population and demand, were triggered by high-yielding varieties, higher inputs, appropriate policies, and expansion in area and irrigation. However, production growth now appears to be slowing down as several of these driving factors are approaching their limits. This reduced growth rate, combined with heightened concern for sustainability in agriculture and the environment, is making it increasingly difficult to keep up with the steady growth in demand for food (3% per annum for wheat in developing countries). Current estimates indicate that triticales contribute more than 6 million metric tons per year to global cereal production. Thus, triticale production surpasses the production of crops like linseed, sesame, castor, and lentils and approaches that of chickpeas. During the 1986-92 period alone, the area under triticale more than doubled from 1 million to 2.4 million hectares.