b'Perennial Crops like Kernza: The Grain ThatNever QuitsBecause they have root systems from previous seasons, peren-nial crops such as alfalfa perform well during droughtwhile also providing benefits to the soil and more. This is why breed-ers at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas are working with part-ners to create new many perennial grains, legumes and oilseed crops. The Institutes Lee DeHaan, lead scientist for Kernza perennial grain domestication, says so far, among all the peren-nial grains, perennial rice is the most advanced, with yields on par with elite varieties of conventional rice. Field trials continue in China, Southeast Asia and Africa.Kernza, a trademarked perennial grain, is an intermediate perennial wheatgrass and a true drought superstar because its roots can extend more than 10 feet down. And after harvest, the remaining leaves and stems are ready for beef cattle to graze.The University of Minnesota is a partner in Kernza trials and Diverse sorghum lines under evaluation at Texas A&Mscommercialization, with Jacob Jungers leading the charge there. breeding program. Researchers are using genomic selectionHe notes that Kernza was developed through domestication and marker-assisted breeding to strengthen drought tolerance(with the other way to create a perennial crop being hybrids of and standability.PHOTO: TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE an existing annual grain and a perennial relative.) In the breeding side, Jungers says the wheatgrass genome was sequenced about a decade ago, which allowed genomic selection with Kernza instead of time-intensive traditional crossings. So far, Jungers says breeders have focused on improving typical domestication above-ground traits such as reduced seed shatter, uniform maturity, threshability and grain yield. However, he and his colleagues are investigating if these breeding activities have inadvertently changed the root traits of advanced grain-type lines. To see how specific above-ground traits may be correlated with root traits, the team has taken root images with tiny cameras inserted into glass tubes. The photos can also be used to determine if root traits are associated with any genetic markers, Junger says, Therefore, we can begin building a genomic selection model that could pre-dict root traits of future varieties. Early results are promising. Kernza perennial grain heads mature in a research field at TheDrought-Tolerant Maize: This Isnt Your Granddads CornLand Institute in Salina, Kansas. Breeders are working to boostCorn is a critical crop in many parts of the developing world, grain yield while maintaining the crops deep-rooted droughtas it is in developed countries, but its a plant that has histori-resilience.PHOTO: THE LAND INSTITUTE cally needed a lot of water. However, at The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Kenya, Yoseph Rooney says researchers are now studying biological nitri- Beyene and his colleagues continue the institutions long history fication inhibition in sorghum rootsa process that reducesof success in developing drought-resistant corn. nitrogen loss through N O emissions. He notes that for many ofCIMMYTs breeding program uses cutting-edge technolo-2these traits, marker-assisted selection, genomic selection andgies such as double haploid technology, molecular markers, ped-gene-editing are the only logistical means for selection withinigree breeding and transgenic methods, where national policies breeding programs.permit, he explains. Additionally, genomic selection predicts the Given that drought tolerance has always been a priority inbest candidates for high yield under drought and normal condi-sorghum breeding programs, its reasonable to expect contin- tions, accelerating the breeding process and saving costs.ued gains at a modest rate in the next few years, Rooney says.Beyene says that in Zimbabwe, households planting drought-If new genomic and phenomic technologies are identified andtolerant maize harvested 617 kg more grain per hectare, enough prioritized, its possible that specific significant improvements into feed a family for over nine months. In Uganda, yields increased drought and lodging tolerance as well as nutrient-use efficiencyby 15% and the risk of crop failure dropped by 30%, especially in could be available in new sorghum hybrids within 10 years. drier regions. 42/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2025'