Farmers turn to perennial grains as one solution to extreme weather

(AP) — Bryce Black kneels in a wheat field battered by intense drought. He holds two strands, remarking on how small the seed head is compared with what's normal. But a dry winter and spring brought extreme drought when the wheat needed moisture to establish itself.

He ended up harvesting about 1,500 acres (607 hectares), but the yield was the lowest he's had since taking over his family's farm in 2017.“It was just a grit your teeth and get through it type of deal,” said Black, who also grows corn, soybeans and milo on his family’s 4,500-acre (1,821 hectare) farm. And it’s kind of hard to know what to do.”When these weather events occur, farmers often look for new ways to protect their crops and their bottom line.A small number are putting perennial grains in rotation to build resilience against extreme weather like drought and intense rainfall. Researchers are working to develop perennial versions of common annual grains like wheat, sorghum and rice, but the work is slow.

And widespread adoption by farmers is challenging because perennial crops don’t yield as much, harvesting can be difficult and the market is still developing.Despite the challenges, Black is intrigued.“I’m in survival mode,” he said. “If you can plant something and then you don’t have to go back for four or five years … that would save so much money, so much labor, everything. That’s what makes it enticing.”What is a perennial grain?Five years ago, David Mueller planted a 12-acre (5 hectare) field of Kernza, a perennial grain similar to native grasses found in parts of Europe and western Asia.Perennial grains don’t require yearly planting, harvesting and replanting.

Instead, they are planted once every few years.Researchers say their root systems, which can reach several feet down, can access water deeper in the ground. That helps them better withstand short-term drought. And when heavy rain hits, the larger root structures can absorb excess water that would otherwise run off and erode the soil.

Those deeper roots also sequester more carbon, reducing pollution in the atmosphere.Kernza is one of several perennial grains under development at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas, about an hour’s drive north of Muell…