What Are the Potential Downsides of Perennial Grain Crops Like Kernza®?

[Astronuc]

Agriculture and Agronomy is where Plant Biology meets Earth Science.

I listened to an interview about perennial crops, particularly, Kernza® Grain, which I know nothing about. It sounds so good, I wondered about the downside.

https://landinstitute.org/our-work/perennial-crops/

https://landinstitute.org/our-work/perennial-crops/kernza/

Critical article - Perennial Wheat Is Not Going to Save Us — Not Yet, at Least
https://ambrook.com/research/crops/kernza-salish-blue-perennial-wheat

More research is needed to improve productivity.

 

[Averagesupernova]

As with most things, the free market will sort it out. The folks that produce the products know what goes into it. If the cost to produce the perennial is enough less to offset the poorer bushels produced compared to conventional wheat then it might fly. I noticed one link mentioned it produced for about three years. This means tillage only every three years. It also implies that conventional crops are tilled every year which is not necessarily true.

 

[Rive]

the free market will sort it out.

I think this will kind of go around the 'market'. In conventional production it's very hard to compete with the 'old crops'. But on soil not good enough or in an environment with less machinery available these can still thrive.
But that's not really 'market'.

I would say it's an interesting and important idea for some small, specific niches.