Winter wheat varieties frequently have poor winter survival and result in poor yields. Durum wheat varieties require a longer growing season than exists in Alaska and often fail to mature and ripen. Hard red spring wheat requires an additional 10 - 15 days to mature and ripen than barley and is a marginal crop in years with early frosts. For this reason it is more marginal than wheat. There are two types, spring and winter rye.
Winter rye is susceptible to snow mold damage and few seedlings survive the winter.
However, one variety, 'Saskatoon', will have enough survivors to equal the yield of 'Gazelle' spring rye. Both of these varieties are susceptible to a disease called ergot. This is a very conspicuous, blue-black, hard fungal mass that develops in place of the kernel. The ergot sclerotia contains several chemical compounds, most of which are harmful to humans and animals. Average yield per acre for rye is 41 to 65 bushels.