Research Roundup
The fungus Fusarium graminearum can cause Fusarium head blight and produce DON toxin in Kernza® if favorable conditions (75-85oF with high moisture/humidity) occur during pollination and grain fill. The Land Institute conducted a small study in 2019 to test the effect of lodging and swathing on DON toxin levels. There was no effect of swathing … Continue reading DON Update
Ecosystems Services, Research Roundup
Perennial crops, like Kernza® varieties of intermediate wheatgrass, have been proposed as a more sustainable alternative to annual crops, because they have extended growing seasons, continuous ground cover, reduced nutrient leakage, and sequester more carbon in the soils than annual crops. In a recently published Plant Science paper, researchers dive deeper into the water and … Continue reading Carbon and water relations in perennial Kernza®
Event, Research Roundup
Because the Kernza® community was unable to gather in person this year due to COVID-19, the annual Kernza® Meeting has moved online. You can explore the presentations on the agenda below. Final Kernza Agenda Each of the webinars will be uploaded and be accessible here, too! Day 1: Kayla Altendorf (UMN) – 00:03:08 Steve Larson … Continue reading Watch the 2020 Kernza® Meeting
Research Roundup
The University of Minnesota (UMN) Forever Green Initiative (FGI) achieved a milestone in 2019 with the release of the first official KernzaⓇ variety, named MN-Clearwater. UMN FGI is pleased to be an international leader along with The Land Institute and others in KernzaⓇ research and early commercialization efforts. Continuing progress, on February 13, 2020, FGI … Continue reading Perennial Progress at University of Minnesota
Research Roundup
Five cycles of selecting and breeding the best intermediate wheatgrass plants at The Land Institute increased yield of Kernza® perennial grain – the weight of seed per area of land – 145%. Researcher Lee DeHaan’s charted figures show a steady rise over the generations. He hopes to see yield rise another 100 percent over the … Continue reading Kernza® Perennial Grain Yields are Increasing
Product Highlight, Research Roundup
Madeline Ostrander writes in The Nation that Kernza® is “The Grain that Tastes Like Wheat, but Grows Like a Prairie Grass.” From obtaining seed samples from The Rodale Institute, to the breeding efforts of Lee DeHaan with Thinopyrum intermedium, to food use by early adopters such as the Birchwood Café, Madeline traces the history leading … Continue reading Journey from Prairie Grass to Food