Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project included organic producers, organic agricultural service providers, researchers, and end users of perennial grains, such as bakers and brewers, as well as the general public. The project provided technical assistance, outreach materials, and online educational events to engage these audiences and promoted the adoption and commercialization of perennial grains. The project also collaborated with existing networks and organizations, such as The Ohio State University, Washington State University, University of Minnesota, Cornell University, McGill University (Canada), The Land Institute, Agraria Center for Regenerative Practice, and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association, to reach a wider and more diverse audience. The project aimed to address the needs and interests of the target audience by providing relevant and timely information and guidance on organic perennial grain production, management, and marketing. Changes/Problems:The project faced challenges and changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited the ability to conduct on-farm trials and in-person events, as well as the transition of the previous PI to a new institution. The project also faced difficulties in establishing field trials due to seed availability and environmental factors. To overcome these challenges, the project requested a no-cost extension, hired a new PI, planted new field trials, and adapted to virtual modes of communication and dissemination. The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for the project, especially in the first three years (2020 to 2022), when travel restrictions and social distancing measures prevented or limited the ability to conduct on-farm trials and in-person events. The project had to scale back on-farm work because these perennial grains require more time in the field (multiple years) compared to annual crops. The project also had to cancel field days and switch to virtual platforms for outreach and education. The project adapted to these challenges by expanding the use of digital media and online tools, such as webinars and seminars, to reach and engage the target audience. The project also leveraged the existing networks and partnerships with other organizations and stakeholders to disseminate information and resources on organic perennial grain systems. The project also experienced a major change in the leadership, as the previous PI, Dr. Steve Culman, accepted a new position at Washington State University in 2022. A new PI, Dr. Leo Deiss, was hired as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University to take over the project lead. The transition was successful with the new PI being fully integrated into the project and working to accomplish the proposed deliverables. Dr. Steve Culman provided valuable and continued assistance to the project during the transition and is still involved in the project. The project also faced challenges in hiring a postdoctoral scholar to assist with the project, due to the availability of competitive candidates and the transition of the PI. The project found and hired a suitable candidate, Dr. Samaneh Tajik, for a 9-month post doctorate between 2023 and 2024. The project also faced difficulties in establishing some field trials due to seed availability and environmental factors. The project initially proposed to evaluate perennial rye along with Kernza, however due to the shortage of perennial rye seed availability, the project decided to work with another perennial crop instead, perennial wheat, which has potential to be a major perennial grain crop in organic systems. The project planted the organic perennial wheat trials in Fall 2022 in four states and harvested for the second year in 2024. The project also had an unsuccessful establishment of the Kernza-legume intercrop trials in three out of four states, due to poor germination and weed pressure. The project re-planted these trials in Fall 2020 in Ohio, and in Fall 2021 in Kansas and New York to test the effect of manure and intercropping with legumes. The project ran these trials for at least two years to generate sufficient data on perennial grain crop cycle for analysis and dissemination. The last year's data (2024) from these trials will be part of manuscripts being prepared for publication to be submitted in late 2024 and 2025. To overcome these challenges and ensure the completion of the project goals, the project requested a no-cost extension for one year, from August 2023 to August 2024. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project trained and mentored undergraduate students (5), visiting scholars (2), a postdoctoral scholar (1), and research technicians (4) who were involved in the project. The project provided them with opportunities to conduct field and laboratory research, analyze and interpret data, write and publish scientific papers, present research results at conferences and workshops, and interact and network with other researchers and stakeholders. The project provided technical assistance and guidance to farmers who expressed interest in organic perennial grain production. The project donated free-of-charge seeds and planting instructions to farmers, and collected feedback on their experience and challenges with organic perennial grain production, and developed and disseminated management recommendations for organic growers. Collaborators to this project participated in activities targeting education to farmers and extension agents on how to establish and manage organic perennial grain systems, how to assess and improve soil health in organic systems, and how to use the online extension enterprise budget tool and interpret the results. The project also provided training and guidance on how to use perennial grains and address their needs and interests. The project promoted opportunities for networking and collaboration with other researchers, growers, service providers, and end users of perennial grains, such as bakers and brewers, through participating in regional and national conferences and workshops, hosting virtual and in-person field days and winter meetings, and donating Kernza grains and flour to local millers and bakers. Project members participated in regional and national conferences and workshops, to present the research results and outreach activities to a wide and diverse audience of researchers, growers, students, and other stakeholders, described as follows: Dr. Steve Culman (previous PI) presented in virtual events promoted as seminar or training including a presentation on the 'Potential for Perennial Grains and Grasses' to the National Academies of Sciences' Workshop: Reducing the Health Impacts of the Nitrogen Problem (February 11, 2021), the Ohio State University's Soil Health Seminar Series (2021), and a webinar hosted by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (2021). These presentations hosted stakeholders to showcase the field experiments and demonstrate organic perennial grain production and management practices. Dr. Matt Ryan and his team at Cornell University hosted two winter Perennial Grains Meetings (Jan 21, 2019 & Feb 22, 2021) for farmers, researchers, and stakeholders. The 2019 meeting had 13 attendees and included topics on disease in perennial grains, intercropping, and post-harvest handling/processing. The 2021 meeting had 34 attendees and included perennial grains research in France, renovating old stands, weed management during establishment, and a farmer panel. Dr. Matt Ryan and his team at Cornell University presented the 'Reducing Tillage in Organic Grain Systems: No-Till and Perennial Grains' at the Empire Farm Days. Pompey, NY. Aug. 5, 2021. Mrs. Sandra Wayman and Dr. Eugene Law presented 'Perennial grains in sustainable cropping systems' at the 2020 Winter Conference Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York. Syracuse, NY. Jan. 18, 2020. Dr. Matt Ryan and his team at Cornell University presented 'Evaluating Kernza: the first perennial grain' at the 2019 Aurora Farm Field Day. Musgrave Research Farm, Aurora NY. July 11, 2019. Dr. Eugene Law et al., a PhD student at Cornell University, gave a presentation on 'An energy comparison of annual and perennial small grain cropping systems' at the 19th Annual Meeting of the American Ecological Engineering Society held in Asheville, North Carolina. Dr. Eugene Law et al., a PhD student at Cornell University, gave a presentation on 'Exploring the impacts of weeds in perennial grain crops' at the 2020 Joint Meeting of the Weed Science Society of America and Western Society of Weed Science. Maui, HI. Dr. Eugene Law et al., a PhD student at Cornell University, gave a presentation on 'Interseeding medium red clover with perennial and annual cereal crops under organic management: three years of grain and forage yields' at the 2020 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, held as a Virtual Event. Dr. Eugene Law et al., a PhD student at Cornell University, gave a presentation on 'Evaluating environmental impact of intermediate wheatgrass cropping systems using the Farm Energy Analysis Tool and emergy synthesis' at the 2021 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, held in Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 2021. Dr. Priscila Pinto et al., a postdoc at University of Wisconsin-Madison, gave a presentation on 'Dual-use Kernza intermediate wheatgrass seasonal forage yield and nutritional value across North America' at the 2021 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, held in Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 2021. Dr. Deiss participated in the 2023 Kernza Conference, in Minnesota, and presented preliminary results from the OREI project. The Kernza Conference occurred in the Twin Cities, on June 21-23, 2023, with three days of research talks, field trips, and plenty of Kernza food. The successful event brought together over 120 researchers, growers, students, and other perennial grain enthusiasts from 18 states, two Canadian provinces, Denmark, and Sweden. Dr. Deiss participated in the 2024 Ohio Organic Grains Conference, Oregon, OH and presented preliminary results from the OREI project. The 2024 Ohio Organic Grains Conference occurred in Oregon, OH, Jan 3rd-5th, and had 241 attendees. Among the attendees, the average organic farm size (certified acres) was 522 acres. Attendees' data showed 146 self-identified farmers from 108 operations, 8 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Gathered data indicated that there were ~ 50,000 certified organic acres represented in the room, including 5,000 transition acres and ~25,000 conventional acres were also represented. Ms. Berenice Montano et al., a Visiting Scholar at Ohio State University presented a poster on 'Soil Aggregate Stability in Perennial Grain Systems' at the 2023 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, held in Saint Louis, USA. Dr. Deiss participated in the United States Department of Agriculture - Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative's Project Directors Meeting (USDA-OREI) in Orlando, Florida, 2024, April 24-45th 2024. Dr Deiss presented the project 'Organic Dual-Use Perennial Grain Crops: Pathways to Profitability and Soil Health'. Mr. Ben Robinson et al., a Research Associate at Ohio State University, will present a poster on 'Organic dual-use kernza: impact of defoliation intensity on grain and forage yield' at the 2024 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, held in San Antonio, USA. Dr. Samaneh Tajik et al., a Postdoctoral Researcher at Ohio State University, will present a Virtual Presentation on 'Enterprise budgets for organic dual-use Kernza intermediate wheatgrass grain and forage production in Ohio', as part of the 2024 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, held in San Antonio, USA. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project disseminated the results to communities of interest through the following means: It has developed scientific materials for organic perennial grain management and production in the form of publications to be disseminated with the broader scientific community. It published peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals with scope in the areas of agronomy, soil science, and agroecology, as described in the following: Culman, S, P Pinto, J Pugliese, T Crews, L DeHaan, J Jungers, J Larsen, MR Ryan, M Schipanski, M Sulc, S Wayman, M Wiedenhoeft, D Stoltenberg, V Picasso. 2023 Forage harvest management impacts "Kernza" intermediate wheatgrass productivity across North America. Agronomy Journal 2023;115:2424-2438. Menalled, UD, CJ Pelzer, A DiTommaso, and MR Ryan. 2023. Effect of multi-tactic weed management on weed suppression and yield in the establishment year of intermediate wheatgrass. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment 6, e20426. Law, EP, S Wayman, CJ Pelzer, SW Culman, MI Gómez, A DiTommaso, and MR Ryan. 2022. Multi-criteria assessment of the economic and environmental sustainability characteristics of intermediate wheatgrass grown as a dual-purpose grain and forage crop. Sustainability 14: 3548. Law, EP, S Wayman, CJ Pelzer, A DiTommaso, and MR Ryan. 2022. Intercropping red clover with intermediate wheatgrass suppresses weeds without reducing grain yield. Agronomy Journal 114:700-716. Heineck, GC, B Schlautman, E Law, J Zimbric, MR Ryan, VD Picasso Risso, D Stoltenberg, C Sheaffer, and JM Jungers. 2022. Intermediate wheatgrass seed size and moisture dynamics inform grain harvest timing. Crop Science 62:410-424. Fulcher, MR., EP Law, S Wayman, MR Ryan, GC Bergstrom. 2022. Fungal plant pathogens observed on perennial cereal crops in New York during 2017-2018. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 37:279-291. Other manuscripts are currently in preparation focused on agronomy and soil science. Five manuscripts are being prepared for publication to be submitted in late 2024 and 2025, as outlined below: KODU - Kernza organic dual-use experiment: 1. Samaneh Tajik (OSU) et al. Organic kernza-dual use grain and biomass production in the Midwest USA. Intended journal: Field Crop Research. 2. Alexa Smychkovich (MSU) et al. Nematodes and soil microbial community in organic dual-use kernza production systems: Intended journal: Soil Science Society of America Journal. 3. Steve Culman et al (WSU) et al. Soil health in dual-use organic perennial grain and forage production systems: Intended journal: PLOS One. KLI - Kernza legume intercropping and manure experiment: 4. Leo Deiss (OSU) et al. Manure rates and legume intercropping on organic kernza dual-use for grain and forage production. Intended journal: Agronomy Journal. 5. Jessica Nicksy (McGill - Canada) et al. Legume nitrogen fixation and transfer to intercropped kernza. Intended journal: Applied Soil Ecology. The project developed enterprise budgets for organic dual-use Kernza production systems. These materials covered topics such as the benefits and challenges of organic perennial grain systems, the best management practices for organic perennial grain production, and the market opportunities and economic analysis of organic perennial grain systems. Main characteristics taken in consideration on enterprise budgets were the dual-use nature of this crop to produce both grain and forage production, multiple forage harvest events across seasons (fall, summer, and spring), organic management, land/ and other fixed costs, and government assistance programs. These materials were made available online through the Ohio State University Budget Enterprise (2024) platform (https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/enterprise-budgets), as well as through the partners' networks channels. The project developed and maintained a website to share the project updates, research results, outreach activities, and educational materials with the target audience and the general public. The website also provided links to other relevant resources and networks on organic perennial grain research and outreach. More info can be found in the following link: https://soilfertility.osu.edu/our-research/perennial-grains As part of the efforts to integrate research activities and farmer networks into existing perennial grain commercialization efforts, the project provided technical assistance to farmers interested in testing organic Kernza. It provided free-of-charge seeds (up to 1-acre fields) and technical training covering topics such as planting depth, seeding rates, fertilization regimes, and crop management. The project donated Kernza grains and flour to local miller, baker, and brewer, including Stutzman Farms and Mill (Millersburg, OH), Avalanche Pizza (Athens, OH), Local Millers (Carroll, OH), and Yellow Springs Brewery (Yellow Springs, OH), to promote the use and consumption of perennial grain products. The project collaborated with these partners to develop and market Kernza-based products, such as stone-milled flour, bread, pizza, and beer. The project also facilitated the connection between these partners and other stakeholders, such as consumers, retailers, and media outlets, to increase the awareness and demand for perennial grain products. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: The project established and evaluated three field experiments across four states (Ohio, New York, Minnesota, and Kansas) to test different management practices for organic dual-use grain and forage production of Kernza and perennial wheat. Our findings demonstrated that perennial grain system management has significant impacts on the performance and sustainability of organic perennial grain systems. TheKernza Organic Dual-Use (KODU) experiment. Key findings from the KODU experiment revealed that the age of Kernza stands significantly influenced both grain and forage yields, with productivity generally declining over time, particularly for grain production. The decision to maintain Kernza beyond the third year or to renew it after the second year hinges on whether the primary goal is to maximize grain yield or forage production. Additionally, management practices for forage harvesting had a substantial impact on yields; the treatment involving two forage harvests in summer and fall (2x-SuFa) yielded the highest grain and forage outputs, while spring forage harvests had the most detrimental effect on grain yield. This demonstrates that harvesting Kernza for both grain and forage in a dual-use system is complementary and advantageous in organic systems. Environmental conditions and management practices also affected forage quality, which generally improved over time, especially for the variables crude protein and digestibility, although the degree of improvement varied by site. Furthermore, weed biomass increased over the four years in most sites, showing an inverse relationship with Kernza yield parameters and negatively impacting spike density, grain yield, and forage yield, with grain yield being particularly susceptible to weed pressure. In conclusion, the findings emphasize the need for careful management and strategic decision-making to optimize the productivity and sustainability of Kernza grain and forage systems, considering factors such as stand age, harvest timing, and weed control to achieve the best outcomes. TheKernza-Legume Intercrop (KLI) experiment. The KLI experiment provided valuable insights into the effective combinations of legume species and their planting times to maximize the yield and quality of Kernza grain and forage. The experiment also demonstrated a common struggle that organic farmers experience in trying to establish and maintain mixed stands of legume and grasses--the research team had to re-establish the KLI experiment in multiple locations to enable legumes to be successfully established. The research also demonstrated that varying the amounts of manure applied (0.5x, 1x, 2x of the recommended rates) had a profound effect on soil health, boosting nutrient availability and enhancing crop performance. The experiment revealed that specific intercropping strategies and manure application rates significantly influence Kernza grain productivity. These results underscore the importance of tailored agronomic practices, particularly the strategic use of manure, for the sustainable and efficient production of organic perennial grain systems. By optimizing manure application, farmers can significantly improve both grain and forage outputs, contributing to more resilient agricultural practices. TheOrganic Perennial Wheat (OPW) experiment.The main takeaway from the Organic Perennial Wheat (OPW) experiment is that despite the initial promise shown by several perennial wheat varieties, most of the tested lines did not robustly survive beyond the first year of grain harvest. This highlights the challenge of achieving sustainable perenniality in organic systems. Evaluated across four states, the experiment revealed significant variability in crop performance by both variety and sites. The findings underscore the need for continued plant breeding and development to identify robust perennial wheat lines capable of thriving in diverse environmental conditions and under varying management practices. Objective 2: The project compared the soil health outcomes under different Kernza forage harvest strategies to quantify the effects of removing aboveground biomass on soil health. The project sampled and analyzed soils in the fourth and final year of the Kernza Organic Dual-Use (KODU) experiment across five sites. Soil and roots were sampledand root biomass was quantified along with a suite of soil health properties, including pH, extractable nutrients, texture, C and N pools, and soil microbial communities characterized with PLFA and nematode speciation. We found that Kernza forage harvest strategies across all five sites had no impact on soil properties, and we concluded that forage harvests do not have deleterious impacts on the soil food webs, soil C or N pools, or nutrient cycling. These findings corroborate previous work in non-organic Kernza systems. The main takeaway from this objective is that perennial grain crops, such as Kernza, can be harvested for forage without compromising soil health benefits. This makes Kernza a viable option for organic systems aiming to enhance soil health while producing both grain and forage. Our research underscores the importance of considering management practices that do not adversely affect soil properties, thereby supporting the sustainability and resilience of organic farming systems. Objective 3:The project compiled and assembled data from the field experiments and other sources to populate the enterprise budgets for organic dual-use Kernza production systems. The project developed an online extension tool that estimates economic metrics, such as net returns, breakeven prices, and return on investment, in scenarios considering dual-use Kernza production systems and organic sources of soil amendments. The project found that perennial grain systems were economically viable depending on the duration of cycle (in years), and profitable under certain conditions, such as high grain and forage prices, low input costs, and government assistance. The project disseminated the enterprise budgets and the online extension tool to farmers and extension agents through the Ohio State University Enterprise Budget website. This objective highlighted the critical role that enterprise budgets play in informing and guiding farmers and stakeholders. By providing detailed and accurate economic assessments, these budgets help farmers make informed decisions about adopting perennial grain systems. They demonstrate the financial viability and potential profitability of dual-use Kernza production, thus supporting the broader goal of achieving sustainable agriculture. For stakeholders, these enterprise budgets offer valuable insights into the economic dynamics of organic farming practices, enabling better planning, policy-making, and investment in resilient agricultural systems. In essence, the enterprise budgets are instrumental in bridging the gap between agronomic research and practical, profitable farming practices. Objective 4:The project integrated research activities and farmer networks into existing perennial grain commercialization efforts by providing organic Kernza seeds and technical training to interested farmers, donating Kernza grains and flour to local miller, baker and brewer, participating in regional and national conferences and workshops, and developing and providing materials for organic perennial grain management and production. The project provided significant professional development for farmers, environmental professionals, and extension agents, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to implement and sustain organic perennial grain systems. This project made significant strides in promoting the adoption and commercialization of perennial grains by stakeholders engaged with the project.
Publications
- Type:
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Culman, S, P Pinto, J Pugliese, T Crews, L DeHaan, J Jungers, J Larsen, MR Ryan, M Schipanski, M Sulc, S Wayman, M Wiedenhoeft, D Stoltenberg, V Picasso. 2023 Forage harvest management impacts Kernza intermediate wheatgrass productivity across North America. Agronomy Journal 2023;115:24242438.
- Type:
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Menalled, UD, CJ Pelzer, A DiTommaso, and MR Ryan. 2023. Effect of multi-tactic weed management on weed suppression and yield in the establishment year of intermediate wheatgrass. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment 6, e20426.
- Type:
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Law, EP, S Wayman, CJ Pelzer, SW Culman, MI G�mez, A DiTommaso, and MR Ryan. 2022. Multi-criteria assessment of the economic and environmental sustainability characteristics of intermediate wheatgrass grown as a dual-purpose grain and forage crop. Sustainability 14: 3548.
- Type:
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Law, EP, S Wayman, CJ Pelzer, A DiTommaso, and MR Ryan. 2022. Intercropping red clover with intermediate wheatgrass suppresses weeds without reducing grain yield. Agronomy Journal 114:700-716.
- Type:
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Heineck, GC, B Schlautman, E Law, J Zimbric, MR Ryan, VD Picasso Risso, D Stoltenberg, C Sheaffer, and JM Jungers. 2022. Intermediate wheatgrass seed size and moisture dynamics inform grain harvest timing. Crop Science 62:410-424.
- Type:
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Fulcher, MR., EP Law, S Wayman, MR Ryan, GC Bergstrom. 2022. Fungal plant pathogens observed on perennial cereal crops in New York during 2017-2018. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 37:279-291.
|
Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Primarily, the target audience for this project includes organic producers, organic agricultural service providers, researchers and end users of perennial grains, such as bakers and brewers. We will continue to meaningfully engage the general public with this project, to diffuse information about the importance of perennial crops to achieve sustainable development goals. Due to sustained COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 that extended into 2021 and 2022, our traditional avenues of outreach and extension were limited, with many field days being canceled and most programs gone virtual. We have recorded video footage of Kernza in the field and outreach videos are being edited to provide information about Kernza, perennial grains, and dual-use forage and grain systems. This content will be made available to the general public as part of an online extension portal hosted by OSU's Soil Fertility Lab.? Changes/Problems:The previous PI, Dr. Steve Culman, in 2022, accepted a new position at Washington State University, and a new PI, Dr. Leo Deiss, has taken the project lead as Visiting Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University. The transition was successful with the new PI being currently fully integrated in the project and working to accomplish the proposed deliverables. Dr. Steve Culman provided valuable and continued assistance to the project during the transition and is still involved in the project. The previous efforts to hire a postdoc were not successful (described in the previous reports), mostly due to the availability of competitive candidates as well as transition of the late PI to a new institution. In 2023, we went through the process of interviewing and offering the position to a candidate, after receiving more than 30 applications and conducting interviews of top candidates. Unfortunately, the candidate who initially accepted the position, had to decline the position due to an Asylum-Seeking petition application.We are going to continue the efforts to find and hire a postdoc to help conclude proposed goals of this project. A position is currently re-posted online for a broad national search. We are also working with the current team of researchers to address the deliverables of this project. The continued challenges of COVID-19 in previous years have limited our ability to fully engage with the proposed on-farm components of this project. As restrictions have eased, we are re-investing efforts to achieve the proposed deliverables of this project. Given the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the first years of this project, we have made an early decision as a team to make this a 5-year project (see previous annual reports), by requesting a no-cost extension in the 4th year, from Aug 2023 to Aug 2024. We have completed the request of the first one-year no-cost extension. However, in addition to the already requested extension, we foresee the need to request an additional 6 months of no-cost extension, from Aug 2024 to Feb 2025, to enable the completion of second harvest in re-established field trials, to generate at least two-years of perennial grain crops data across all trials, to help meet the proposed deliverables of this project. To safeguard against the shortcomings of trial establishment failures, we planted a new set of field experiments (in late 2022), to address two important questions of organic perennial crop production, related to nitrogen management (Kernza Legume Intercrop trials) and testing a new perennial crop (Organic Perennial Wheat trials). Given that part of the experiments are still in the first grain harvest in 2023, we plan to run the experiment for at least one more year during the growing season of 2024, to achieve the targeted goal of at least two years of data for field trials evaluating perennial grain systems. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have provided intensive training to the new PI of the project, Dr. Leo Deiss, as he got integrated into the ongoing activities in June 2022. Adding to that, as described in the accomplishments of Objective 4, we provided training to farmers that were interested in testing Kernza in their fields. This training included technical instructions on how to establish and maintain organic Kernza fields. We will continue to supplement training to all personnel involved in the project through in person meetings and field visits as well as a series of videos on organic Kernza production. Due to COVID-19, our professional training and development activities have been institutionally-limited in the previous years of the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Given the described challenges experienced in previous years related to unsuccessful attempts to establish field trials, COVID-19 restrictions, and change of project PI, we are still collecting results to share and disseminate to communities of interest. Notably, Dr. Steve Culman (previous PI) gave a presentation on the 'Potential for Perennial Grains and Grasses' to the National Academies of Sciences' Workshop: Reducing the Health Impacts of the Nitrogen Problem (February 11, 2021). We have also provided outreach activities through webinars of Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (Feb 14, 2021). Moreover, we hosted virtual events (Ohio State University, Soil Health Seminar Series) that showcased perennial grains as a potential new crop for organic producers (Winter 2021). The team has provided one-to-one training to farmers that were interested in testing Kernza in their fields (Fall 2022). Dr. Deiss participated in the 2023 Kernza Conference, in Minnesota, and presented preliminary results from the OREI project to an audience of more than 120 participantsincluding researchers, growers, students, and other stakeholders. Ms. Berenice Montano, a Visiting Scholar from El Salvador that is working with the OREI project, will be presenting preliminary results on soil aggregate stability from the Kernza Dual-Use experiment, in the form of poster presentation, at the tri-societies meeting of the Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, and Crop Science Society of America, to take place in Saint Louis, USA, October 2023. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. We will continue to evaluate field experiments and collect data in two experimental protocols (Kernza-Legume Intercrop and Organic Perennial Wheat trials) testing management recommendations to optimize production systems of perennial grain crops. The Kernza-Legume Intercrop experiment was designed to compare the response of organically managed Kernza to nitrogen rates, sourced as manure, or legume-intercropping. The Organic Perennial Wheat experiment is evaluating perenniality (survival) of perennial wheat lines in organic systems. We plan to continue to collect and analyze plant and soil samples from the Kernza-Legume Intercrop and Organic Perennial Wheat experiments, for at least one more year in 2024. With the Kernza Dual-Use experiment being harvested for the fourth and last time in 2023, we will prioritize finishing soil and plant analysis as well as writing peer-reviewed and extension publications coming out of the Kernza Dual-Use experiment. 2. We will continue to process and analyze soil samples to quantify improvements that perennial grain crops have on soil health. Soils were sampled at the end of the Kernza Dual-Use experiment, and we are conducting a comprehensive soil health assessment on the four-year impact of plant defoliation treatments. Initial results will be presented at the tri-societies meeting (Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, and Crop Science Society of America) in Saint Louis, MO, Oct 2023. A more comprehensive analysis of results will be reported in manuscripts currently being prepared for submission to be published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals in the areas of agronomy and soil science. 3. We will continue the development of enterprise budgets for perennial cropping systems, continue to populate budget data, and test the enterprise approach.The enterprise budgets will be made available to the general public as an online extension tool that estimates economic metrics in scenarios considering dual-use (forage and grain) Kernzaproduction systemsas well as organic sources of soil amendments. 4. We will continue with the efforts to integrate research activities and farmer networks into existing perennial grain commercialization efforts. We are working to expand engagement with stakeholders to provide real-world experience of producing organic perennial grain systems. Finally, we will continue to participate in extension stakeholder meetings, and create written and audio-visual extension materials considering management aspects in organic perennial grain production.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. As part of the accomplishments related to the first goal, we describe in the following the current state and distribution of field sites of the three experimental protocols that are part of this objective. 1.1 Kernza Dual-Use (KODU) experiment: we established KODU experiments at five research stations, in early Fall 2019. Trials are in Ohio (2 sites), New York, Minnesota, and Kansas, using the first commercially available variety of Kernza, namely, Clearwater Kernza (1504). These trials aim to evaluate organic dual-use grain and forage production of Kernza. The trial design is a RCBD with 4 replicates, and includes four defoliation treatments: i. Summer only after grain, ii. Spring+Summer, iii. Fall+Summer, iv. Spring+Summer+Fall.These trials were successfully harvested for grain and forage for the fourth year in 2023, including both forage and grain harvestable products. We also conducted an end-of-experiment soil sampling, four years after the start of experiment in all locations. Soil are currently being analyzed for a variety of soil health measures including routine nutrient analysis, active carbon (POXC, Respiration, and Protein), inorganic Nitrogen (nitrate and ammonium), and soil total C and N.This experiment will end after the last forage harvest to be conducted in the fall 2023. Kernza-Legume Intercrop (KLI) experiment: we successfully established this experiment in four states, including Minnesota (2021), Ohio (2022), Kansas (2023), New York (2023). This experiment is on track to be evaluated for at least two growing seasons in all sites. The objectives of this experiment are to A) determine what combination of legume species and legume planting time/approach maximize Kernza grain yield, forage yield and forage quality, B) determine a reasonable rate/range for manure use in organic systems. The experiment is a RCBD with 4 replicates and include 10 treatments: i. Kernza (control), ii. Kernza + red clover (at plant), iii. Kernza + red clover (frost seed), iv. Kernza + red clover (after harvest), v. Kernza + alfalfa (at plant), vi. Kernza + alfalfa (frost seed), vii. Kernza + alfalfa (after harvest), viii. Kernza + manure 0.5x, ix. Kernza + manure 1x, and x. Kernza + manure 2x.These trials were successfully harvested for grain and forage in 2023, in all four locations. Plant biomass was harvested and separated to determine vegetation composition (kernza, legumes and weeds). Plant tissue subsamples are being analyzed in the lab to determine forage nutritional quality. We plan to conduct at least one more year of grain and forage harvest in 2024 across all trials. Organic Perennial Wheat (OPW) experiment: Perennial wheat has potential to be a major perennial grain crop in organic systems due to its high interspecific competition ability. The main goal of this experiment is to evaluate the production capacity after the first grain harvest (perenniality) of perennial wheat lines, and its agronomic performance to produce both grain and forage. We planned and established the Organic Perennial Wheat experiments in four states (Ohio, New York, Minnesota, and Kansas). The experimental design is a RCBD with 4 replicates and includes four perennial wheat varieties developed by The Land Institute.These trials were successfully harvested for the first year in 2023, in all four locations, to determine grain and forage productivity. The evaluation of perennial wheat lines will continue, with measurements of overwinter survival in early 2024, and provided the survival rates are reasonable, these trials will continue aiming to evaluate grain and forage productive performance during at least two growing seasons (until 2024). 2. Aiming to quantify the impact of perennial crops on soil health, we: Have conducted an end-of-experiment soil sampling on the Kernza Dual-Use (KODU) experiment, four years after the start of experiment in all locations. Soils are currently being analyzed for a variety of soil health measures including routine nutrient analysis, active carbon (POXC, Respiration, and Protein), inorganic Nitrogen (nitrate and ammonium), and soil total C and N. Have sampled baseline soils (0-20 cm depth) on the two other trials, namely Kernza-Legume Intercrop (KLI)and Organic Perennial Wheat (OPW) experiments described for Objective 1. We plan to resample soils at the end of each trial to compare the effect of different management practices of perennial grain systems on soils health. Those soils will be analyzed for a complete soil health analysis including biological, chemical, and physical indicators. 3. Enterprise budgets frameworks are being developed and we expect to apply those frameworks once the duration of each trial is concluded, and field data collection is finalized and processed. We have started the process of compiling and assembling data from both theKernza Dual-Use experiment andKernza-Legume Intercropexperiment to be used as input for enterprise budgets, and this process will continue for the duration of the field trials. 4. Aiming to continue to integrate research activities and farmer networks into existing perennial crop commercialization efforts: Kernza seeds produced in certified organic areas were made available to interested farmers in Ohio, to plant up to one-acre areas, to test Kernza performance in their fields. These activities are being promoted with support of OSU Extension agents. Moreover, harvested grains milled into flour by an organic grain mill (Stutzman Farms and Mill, Millersburg -Ohio) were donated to a baker (Avalanche Pizza, Athens - OH) as part of the efforts to integrate and promote commercialization networks of perennial grain crops. We are continuously looking for partners interested in perennial grain products, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for new markets, and we will continue these efforts for the duration of the project and beyond. Dr. Deiss participated in the 2023 Kernza Conference, in Minnesota, and presented preliminary results from the OREI project. The Kernza Conference happened in the Twin Cities, on June 21-23, 2023, with three days of research talks, field trips, and plenty of Kernza food. The successful event brought together over 120 researchers, growers, students, and other perennial grain enthusiasts from 18 states, two Canadian provinces, Denmark, and Sweden.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Primarily, the target audience for this project includes organic producers, organic agricultural service providers, researchers and end users of perennial grains, such as bakers and brewers. We also hope to meaningfully engage the general public in the later years of this project to diffuse information about the importance of perennial crops to achieve sustainable development goals. Due to sustained COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 that extended into 2021, our traditional avenues of outreach and extension were limited, with many field days being canceled and most programs gone virtual. We have recorded video footage of Kernza in the field and outreach videos are currently being edited to provide introductory information about Kernza, perennial grains, and dual-use forage and grain systems. Changes/Problems:The previous PI, Dr. Steve Culman, accepted a new position at Washington State University, and a new PI has taken the project lead, Dr. Leo Deiss, Visiting Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University. The transition was successful with the new PI being currently fully integrated in the project and working towards accomplishing the proposed deliverables. Dr. Steve Culman provided valuable and continued assistance to the project during the transition and is still involved in the project. The efforts to hire a postdoc in 2022 (described in the previous report) were not successful, mostly due to the availability of competitive candidates as well as transition of the late PI to a new institution. We are going to continue the efforts to hire a postdoc. A position will be posted in early 2023 for a broad national search. The selected candidate will be dedicating at least 50% of their time to this OREI project. The continued challenges of COVID-19 in previous years have limited our ability to fully engage with the proposed on-farm components of this project. As restrictions have eased, we are re-investing efforts to achieve the proposed deliverables of this project. To safeguard against the shortcomings of trial establishment failures, we planted a new set of field experiments, to address two important components of organic perennial crop production, including nitrogen management (Kernza Legume Intercrop trials) and testing a new perennial crop (Organic Perennial Wheat trials). Finally, a reminder that we have made a team decision to make this a 5-year project, so we will be requesting a no-cost extension in the 4th year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have provided intensive training to the new PI of the project, Dr. Leo Deiss, as he got integrated into the ongoing activities in June 2022. Adding to that, as described in the accomplishments of Objective 4, we provided training to farmers that were interested in testing Kernza in their fields. This training included technical instructions on how to establish and maintain organic Kernza fields. We will continue to supplement training to all personnel involved in the project through in person meetings and field visits as well as a series of videos on organic Kernza production. Due to COVID-19, our professional training and development activities have been institutionally-limited in the previous years of the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Given the described challenges experienced in previous years related to unsuccessful attempts to establish field trials, COVID-19 restrictions, and change of project PI, we only had preliminary results to share and disseminate to communities of interest. Notably, Dr. Steve Culman (previous PI) gave a presentation on the 'Potential for Perennial Grains and Grasses' to the National Academies of Sciences' Workshop: Reducing the Health Impacts of the Nitrogen Problem (February 11, 2021). We have also provided outreach activities through webinars of Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (Feb 14, 2021). Moreover, we hosted virtual events (Ohio State University, Soil Health Seminar Series) that showcased perennial grains as a potential new crop for organic producers (Winter 2021). Finally, we provided one-to-one training to farmers that were interested in testing Kernza in their fields (Fall 2022). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. We will maintain and continue to collect data in the three established experimental protocols to establish management recommendations to production of perennial crops. We will begin to collect data on both the re-established Kernza-Legume Intercrop trials and newly established Organic Perennial Wheat trials, to better understand nitrogen availability in organically managed Kernza cropping systems as well as evaluate a new perennial crop (perennial wheat) in organic systems. We will continue to sample and analyze plant and soil data from trials and start preparing peer-reviewed publications with initial emphasis on the Kernza Dual-Use experiment. 2. We will continue to process and analyze soil samples to quantify improvements that perennial grain crops have on soil health. 3. We will finalize the development of enterprise budgets for perennial crop systems, continue to populate budget data, and test the enterprise approach with preliminary data already available from previous years. 4. We will expand efforts to integrate research activities and farmer networks into existing perennial grain commercialization efforts. We will work to expand our on-farm trials with growers that will provide real-world experience of planting, harvesting, and managing organic Kernza. Finally, we will make inroads in developing and providing materials (written and video) for organic perennial grain management and production.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. The current state and distribution across sites of the three experimental protocols that are part of this objective are described as follows. Kernza Dual-Use (KODU) experiment: we planned and established the Kernza Dual-Use experiments at five research stations in early Fall 2019. Trials were planted in Ohio (2 sites), New York, Minnesota, and Kansas, using the first commercially available variety of Kernza, namely, Clearwater Kernza (1504). These trials aim to evaluate organic dual-use grain and forage production of Kernza. The trial design is a RCBD with 4 replicates, and includes four defoliation treatments: i. Summer only after grain, ii. Spring+Summer, iii. Fall+Summer, iv. Spring+Summer+Fall. These trials were successfully harvested for the third year in 2022, including both forage and grains, in all five locations. The Kernza-Legume Intercrop (KLI) experiment: we had an unsuccessful establishment of these trials in three out of four states, including Ohio, Kansas, and New York states, except Minnesota where the trial establishment was successful and has been maintained since 2021. Those unsuccessful trials were re-planted in 2022 in the three mentioned states (Ohio, Kansas, and New York) and are on track to be evaluated for at least two growing seasons (2023 and 2024). The objectives of this experiment are to A) determine what combination of legume species and legume planting time/approach maximize Kernza grain yield, forage yield and forage quality, B) determine a reasonable rate/range for manure use in organic systems. The experiment is a RCBD with 4 replicates and include 10 treatments: i. Kernza (control), ii. Kernza + red clover (at plant), iii. Kernza + red clover (frost seed), iv. Kernza + red clover (after harvest), v. Kernza + alfalfa (at plant), vi. Kernza + alfalfa (frost seed), vii. Kernza + alfalfa (after harvest), viii. Kernza + manure 0.5x, ix. Kernza + manure 1x, and x. Kernza + manure 2x. Organic Perennial Wheat (OPW) experiment: we initially proposed evaluation of the perennial rye crop along with Kernza. Unfortunately, those efforts were compromised due to shortages of perennial rye seed availability. Consequently, the team decided to work with another perennial crop instead. Perennial wheat was selected given the potential of this crop to be a major perennial grain crop in organic systems due to its high interspecific competition ability (preliminary unpublished results from The Land Institute) as well as seed availability. We planned and established the Organic Perennial Wheat experiments in all participating states (Ohio, New York, Minnesota, and Kansas). The experimental design is a RCBD with 4 replicates and includes four perennial wheat varieties developed by The Land Institute. These four varieties will initially be evaluated for overwinter survival in early 2023, and provided the survival rates are reasonable, the trials will continue aiming to evaluate performance during at least two growing seasons (2023 and 2024). Crop performance measures will include stand, height, above-ground biomass, yield, and seed size. Additional (optional) measures will include anthesis date and disease resistance/susceptibility. 2. Aiming to quantify the impact of perennial crops on soil health, we have sampled baseline soils (0-20 cm depth) on all three outlined trials described for Objective 1. These also include the re-established trials Kernza Legume Intercrop trials and newly established Organic Perennial Wheat trials.We plan to resample soils at the end of each trial to compare the effect of different management practices of perennial grain systems on soils health. Those soils will be analyzed for a complete soil health analysis including biological, chemical, and physical indicators. 3. Enterprise budgets frameworks are being finalized and we expect to apply those frameworks once the duration of each trial is concluded, and field data collection is finalized and processed. We have begun the process of compiling and assembling data for this effort which will continue into the following years. 4. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and cancellation of summer field days in previous years, this objective to integrate commercialization efforts will be increasingly more relevant in the remaining years of the project. In 2022, we harvested Kernza seeds from certified organic areas and made those seeds available to interested farmers in Ohio, to plant up to one-acre areas, to test Kernza performance in their fields. These activities were promoted with support from OSU Extension agents. Unfortunately, only two producers followed up and acquired the seeds in the year 2022. We provided technical assistance to those farmers on how to establish areas with those organic seeds, in terms of planting depth, seeding rates, fertilization regimes, and crop management. We are still monitoring if they were successful in establishing those crops. Those producers compromised to provide grain yield estimates if those fields ended up being harvested and give feedback on crop performance and management. We expect to expand those efforts in the following years. Moreover, 400 lbs. of harvested grains of season 2022 were donated to a baker (Avalanche Pizza, Athens - OH) and an organic grain mill (Stutzman Farms and Mill, Millersburg -Ohio) as part of the initial efforts to integrate and promote commercialization networks of perennial grain crops.
Publications
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