Kickstarting Mid-Atlantic Kernza

The University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources' Newark Farm hosts a smorgasbord of crops Alexandra Huddell studies: a couple plots of corn, an alfalfa plot and one unplanted plot. But the star of the show is her plot of Kernza, the nutty, earthy grain cousin of wheat - an intermediate wheatgrass crop developed by the Land Institute.

The world's first commercially available perennial grain has been picking up steam in regenerative agriculture, a conservation approach focused on improving soil and ecosystem health. Kernza doesn't die off in winter, so farmers don't need to replant it. It also has environmental benefits.

"Kernza's roots can improve soil health by adding organic matter, which enhances soil fertility and water retention," said Huddell, a UD assistant professor of agroecology. "We're also looking at its ability to improve water quality."

The crop's heavy roots can extend far into the ground and can exert a strong hold on contaminants like nitrate, helping to prevent it from washing into waterways by over 90% compared to annual crops. That's been shown in Minnesota. And preliminary results from Huddell's own research show similar success. But, while Kernza is grown commercially in the Midwest, it's currently only grown for research in the Mid-Atlantic.