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Intermediate wheatgrass as a dual use crop for grain and grazing
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A collaborative research paper between The Land Institute’s Lee DeHaan, Tim Crews, and colleagues at the Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research showed that Kernza breeding at The Land Institute has likely increased responsiveness to mycorrhizal fungi, which provide a critical role in nutrient uptake, plant health, and soil quality.
Agricultural practices have had a negative impact on the physical, chemical, and biological components of soil. Perennial cropping systems that facilitate positive soil microbial interactions could not only rebuild soils but also sustain productivity through expected variations in environmental conditions. Here, we show the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, soil symbionts that can improve host performance and soil health, increased the growth of intermediate wheatgrass, a novel perennial grain crop, in populations that have been increasingly bred for desirable agricultural characteristics. The right pairing of intermediate wheatgrass and a beneficial AM fungal community could lead to more sustainable agroecosystems.
