Nematode community structure suggests perennial grain cropping cultivation as a nature-based solution for resilient agriculture
Researchers in Germany looked at the influence of intermediate wheatgrass, the plant that produces Kernza® perennial grain, on nematode populations and community structure, using these microorganisms as an indicator of…
Determining the footprint of breeding in the seed microbiome of a perennial cereal
Like humans, plants possess a microbiome that can be inherited and passed on to the next generation of plant seeds, which provides opportunities for plant breeders to harness knowledge surrounding…
Nutritional Quality of Early-Generation Kernza Perennial Grain
A nutritional study on early-generation grain from the Kernza breeding program documents the nutritional quality of the perennial grain, with data underscoring its macronutrient composition, vitamin and mineral content, and…
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…