Origin of current intermediate wheatgrass germplasm being developed for Kernza grain production
Lee DeHaan, Lead Scientist of the Kernza® Domestication Program, and key Kernza collaborators Peggy Wagoner (the scientist who first selected Intermediate Wheatgrass as a viable perennial grain candidate for domestication),…
Distinguishing Abiotic from Biotic Stressors in Perennial Grain Crops: Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms in Silphium integrifolium and Thinopyrum intermedium
Scientists in The Land Institute’s Crop Protection Genetics Program and research collaborators co-authored a paper documenting the impact of nutrient deficiencies on various aspects of plant growth and their implications…
Grain Yield Potential of Intermediate Wheatgrass in Western Canada
Perennial grain research collaborators in Western Canada released a paper documenting the influence that nitrogen management and intercropping exert over grain yield for the crop. Abstract Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium;…
Perennial intermediate wheatgrass accumulates more soil organic carbon than winter wheat – a model assessment
Perennial plants are known to add more biomass to soils when compared to annual plants, as evidenced by the rate of carbon accumulation in grassland ecosystems, but less research has…
Photosynthetic capacity, canopy size and rooting depth mediate response to heat and water stress of annual and perennial grain crops
Climate-resilient crops are becoming increasingly desired as global climate patterns continue to shift. This paper looks at the ability of perennial grains to adapt to warmer and drier growing conditions…
Soil total carbon and nitrogen under long-term perennial bioenergy crops receiving various nitrogen fertilization rates
A long-term study conducted in the northern Great Plains region of the US indicates that perennial crops such as intermediate wheatgrass (Kernza) may sequester greater amounts of soil carbon and…
Forage harvest management impacts “Kernza” intermediate wheatgrass productivity across North America
Research into the productivity of Kernza as a forage and grain crop examines the plant’s profitability associated with its dual-purpose nature, the mechanisms driving increased productivity of the crop, and…
Nitrate leaching losses and the fate of 15N fertilizer in perennial intermediate wheatgrass and annual wheat — A field study
Recent research in ecology illustrates the advantage that perennial grains like Kernza (intermediate wheatgrass) possess in reducing nitrate leaching when compared to popular annual grain crops like wheat, as the…
Genomic insights into the NPGS intermediate wheatgrass germplasm collection
The Land Institute’s Lee DeHaan (Lead Scientist, Kernza) and Sajal Sthapit (Postdoctoral Researcher, Kernza) worked with research collaborators to release this publication detailing the value of the USDA’s National Plant…
Breeding Intermediate Wheatgrass for Grain Production
This research paper details the improvement of breeding efforts with intermediate wheatgrass resulting from advances in molecular technologies, allowing scientists to focus on producing desirable agronomic traits to create an…
Perennials as Future Grain Crops: Opportunities and Challenges
New research published in parternship by Carlsberg Group Future Crops, The Land Institute, University of Copenhagen, Carlsberg Foundation, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Innovation Fund Denmark, Lund University in…
Development of whole‐genome prediction models to increase the rate of genetic gain in intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) breeding
Abstract The development of perennial grain crops is driven by the vision of simultaneous food production and enhanced ecosystem services. Typically, perennial crops like intermediate wheatgrass (IWG)[Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth…