Land Institute scientists David Van Tassel, left, and Stan Cox plant intermediate wheatgrass, a wild species we are
breeding with wheat to make a grain crop that re-grows each year to save planting expenses and soil.
The world's farms, heavily reliant on non-renewable resources, are turning out more food than ever in history. At the same time, agriculture unintentionally but tragically worsens the global ecological crisis.
Land Institute plant breeders and agroecologists work to reconcile humanity's food needs with resource conservation by developing perennial versions of our annual grain crops. While producing familiar grains—wheat, sorghum, sunflower and others—perennial cropping systems will function more like the natural ecosystems agriculture has replaced.
Further information on our perennial grain crop research:
