Building a botanical foundation for perennial agriculture: Global inventory of wild, perennial herbaceous Fabaceae species
Agroecosystems are constantly evolving to meet the needs of a growing population in a sustainable manner. Concerns about ecological impacts of agriculture, including soil loss, have focused attention on crops…
Cover crop species affect mycorrhizae-mediated nutrient uptake and pest resistance in maize
Abstract: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can increase plant nutrient uptake and chemical defense production, both of which can improve plants’ ability to resist insect herbivory. Cover crops—non-commercial species planted in…
Reduced nitrate leaching in a perennial grain crop compared to maize in the Upper Midwest, USA
Abstract: Global expansion of high-input annual grain crops and associated nitrogen (N) fertilizer use can have negative consequences for the environment and human health. Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) leaching from fertilized…
Is the Future of Agriculture Perennial? Imperatives & Opportunities to Reinvent Agriculture by Shifting from Annual Monocultures to Perennial Polycultures
Non-technical summary: Modern agriculture is associated with numerous environmental predicaments, such as land degradation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emission. Socio-economically, it is characterized by a treadmill of technological change, increased…
Maintaining grain yields of the perennial cereal intermediate wheatgrass in monoculture v. bi-culture with alfalfa in the Upper Midwestern USA
Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium; IWG) is a perennial cereal crop undergoing development for grain production; however, grain yield declines of >75% are often observed after year 2 of the perennial…
Managing Crops for Climate Change Can Also Manage Pests
The impacts of climate change are already being felt by farmers in many parts of the world. As such, it is important for us to determine which strategies may help…
Managing for Multifunctionality in Perennial Grain Crops
Abstract: Plant breeders are increasing yields and improving agronomic traits in several perennial grain crops, the first of which is now being incorporated into commercial food products. Integration strategies and management…
Perennial Grain Legume Domestication Phase I: Criteria for Candidate Species Selection
Abstract: Annual cereal and legume grain production is dependent on inorganic nitrogen (N) and other fertilizers inputs to resupply nutrients lost as harvested grain, via soil erosion/runoff, and by other natural…
Effect of Puccinia silphii on Yield Components and Leaf Physiology in Silphium integrifolium: Lessons for the Domestication of a Perennial Oilseed Crop
Abstract: New crops with greater capacity for delivering ecosystem services are needed to increase agricultural sustainability. However, even in these crops, seed yield is usually the main criteria for grain domestication….
Progress and Bottlenecks in the Early Domestication of the Perennial Oilseed Silphium integrifolium, a Sunflower Substitute
Abstract: Silflower (Silphium integrifolium Michx.) is in the early stages of domestication as a perennial version of oilseed sunflower, its close relative. Grain crops with deep perennial root systems will provide…
Development of Perennial Grain Sorghum
Abstract: Perennial germplasm derived from crosses between Sorghum bicolor and either S. halepense or S. propinquum is being developed with the goal of preventing and reversing soil degradation in the…
Toward the Rapid Domestication of Perennial Grains: developing genetic and genomic resources for intermediate wheatgrass.
Chapter 18 from Applied Mathematics and Omics to Assess Crop Genetic Resources for Climate Change Adaptive Traits. Edited by Abdallah Bari, Ardeshir B. Damania, Michael Mackay and Selvadurai Dayanandan CRC Press…