RE: RYE OR WINTER WHEAT
I've farmed wheat all my life, and I've never known anyone to plant over an inch deep. I've experimented up to 1" deep, andI made about half theyield I should have.I found 4x the diameter of the seed to give me the best germination results. Shallower than that, and I couldn't get my seed bed firm enough. Deeper than that, and it began delaying emergence. My soil is very low in organic matter and it will crust over quickly after a rainfall event.
It is also not uncommon for my soil moisture to be too low for germination even down as far as 5". In July and August, it doesn't rain much. In September, it can rain a lot (3-4"). So I dry sow in late August and early September and try to beat the September rains. Once the September rains start, the fields are usually too wet to sow until the rains are finished. And when they are gone, the next rain may not come until February.
Of course, everyone in these parts is also planting the semi-dwarf varieties of HRW wheat. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes.