Triticale, a cross between wheat and rye, is rapidly gaining ground in Aragón. Its resilience to wild rabbits and ability to preserve more grain are changing how local farmers defend their fields from one of Spain’s most persistent agricultural threats.
Fields across Aragón are seeing a striking shift: triticale, a hybrid cereal born from wheat and rye, has nearly doubled its cultivated area in just six years. This surge is not driven by agricultural fashion, but by necessity. As wild rabbit populations continue to devastate both herbaceous and woody crops—especially in the dry cereal plains of the Ebro valley—farmers are turning to triticale for its unique resilience.
According to Heraldo de Aragón, the expansion of triticale reflects a pragmatic response to a problem that traditional hunting alone has failed to solve. The region’s 800,000 hectares of cereal crops are under constant threat, and the rabbit plague has become one of the most damaging forces in Spanish agriculture. The Center for Agri-Food Research and Technology of Aragón (CITA) notes that the scale of the issue now demands new agronomic strategies.
Why Triticale Makes a Difference
Though still considered a minor cereal, triticale’s role is growing rapidly. Its main advantage lies in its ability to withstand repeated grazing by rabbits. While it does not prevent animals from entering the fields, it significantly reduces the impact on yields, allowing crops to reach harvest in better condition. Triticale’s strong regrowth capacity is especially valuable when damage occurs multiple times throughout the growing season—a common scenario in areas with high wildlife pressure.
This resilience has made triticale an increasingly popular tool for farmers seeking to limit losses and protect their livelihoods. The cereal’s ability to recover after being grazed means that, even in the face of persistent rabbit activity, more grain survives until harvest.
Field Trials Reveal Clear Advantages
Recent results from the GEST-CONEJO project have further boosted interest in triticale. In field trials conducted on the edges of heavily affected plots, triticale managed to retain 46% of its grain, compared to just 5% for barley and soft wheat. The project, launched in 2021 and coordinated by CITA, tested several cereals—including wheat, oats, barley, tritordeum, and triticale—across representative dryland areas of Aragón.
These findings help explain why triticale is becoming a preferred option. While it does not eliminate the rabbit problem, it gives farmers a crucial buffer when animal pressure threatens the profitability of their operations. The cereal’s performance under stress is a practical advantage that is hard to ignore.
Long-Term Strategy Needed
Experts caution, however, that triticale is not a quick fix. Reducing rabbit populations and their impact on crops can take two to three years, as the animals are capable of adapting their reproduction to initial setbacks. Coordinated planting is also essential: if only one field is sown with triticale while neighboring plots continue to offer more attractive food or shelter, the benefits are limited. For this reason, researchers recommend integrating triticale into a broader habitat management and agricultural planning strategy.
The rise of triticale in Aragón is a clear sign of how farmers are adapting to persistent threats. While a definitive solution to the rabbit plague remains elusive, this hybrid cereal is providing a practical way to limit losses and safeguard harvests.
Spain’s agricultural sector has a long tradition of innovation in the face of adversity. The revival of historic crops, such as the Soria tomato brought back to life by a farmer in Palencia, demonstrates the value of genetic diversity and adaptation—an approach detailed in this report on the return of a century-old Spanish tomato variety. As challenges evolve, so too do the solutions, with triticale now at the forefront of Aragón’s fight against one of its most stubborn pests.
