Field of ripening intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) at The Land Institute's research farm in Salina, Kansas.

Field of ripening intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) at The Land Institute’s research farm in Salina, Kansas. By Dehaan – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 us

 

In this story by Tamar Haspel in the Washington Post we learn about ongoing efforts by The Land Institute to develop perennial grains. Among the benefits of perennials, they improve soil structure and return carbon to the earth.

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Of note, last year New York Soil Health project member Matt Ryan published a paper that looked at five management strategies, such as intercropping with legumes, to address the current limitations of low grain yields in perennials like Kernza:

Managing for Multifunctionality in Perennial Grain Crops