Field experiment aiming at determination of the response of 6 rye strains to the sowing date was carried out in 1983-1985. The influence of years, strains, sowing dates and interaction of these factors on the rye grain yield and its structure was investigated using the analysis of variance. The values of mean squares were compared with their expected values, whereas the variance components were estimated by solution of obtained sets of equations. Positive values of varietal component were obtained for the yield structure. The varietal factor determined most strongly the grain yield per ear. The sowing date strongly determined the traits under study, except for the 1000 grain weight.