top of page
Group:
Monocot
Estimated genome size:
0.5 m in height
Size:
0.5 m in height
Distribution:
The shores of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
227.85 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
13.26 kilobases
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Genome Length:
10.54 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
99.5% [S: 11.3%, D: 88.0%]
Importance:
It is the sole species of the genus that occurs in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a wild relative of bread wheat and is a halophyte. If the genes conferring its ability to tolerate high levels of soil salinity can be transferred to commercial wheat, it has the potential to expand wheat production and increase food security.
Group:
Monocot
Estimated genome size:
Size:
Up to 1 m in height
Distribution:
Wild rye grows naturally in moist meadows and streambanks in the Roggeveld - an area on the southern African escarpment margin between Sutherland and Middelpos in the Northern Cape.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
151.81 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
6.81 kilobases
Assembly N50:
779.54 kilobases
Contig number:
24 195
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Assembler used:
Hifiasm
Genome Length:
6.19 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
98.6% [S: 92.7%, D: 5.9%]
BUSCO database:
viridiplantae
Secale africanum
African rye
.jpg)
Importance:
This is the only rye species from southern Africa. It is palatable and has been used for grazing. It is not known whether it was used as a cereal by the indigenous peoples in the past (pza.sanbi.org/secale africanum).
Date Published:
2025-08-27
Photo credit:
© E. van Jaarsveld
bottom of page