I don’t eat cereal a lot, but we do keep a box or two in the house for those times when you just don’t want to cook. I’m more likely to eat cereal for lunch or dinner, than I am for breakfast. Last week, I noticed a change on the box of my usual non-GMO, no corn syrup, cereal. It said made with one percent Kernza. Have you heard of Kernza? I sure have not. So I did a little digging. It turns out Kernza could be the grain for the next century. Kernza is the trade-marked name, for this commercially viable perennial grain crop developed from intermediate wheatgrass that regrows from a single planting. 

Created by the Land Institute in Kansas, the goal was to produce a perennial grain that could help improve soil health and reduce erosion, making it an environmentally sustainable choice. Kernza is still in the early stages of development, with ongoing breeding efforts to increase seed yield. Kernza is not a genetically modified organism (GMO); it is a non-GMO perennial grain developed through traditional plant breeding techniques by The Land Institute. It is a domesticated cousin of annual wheat that was selected for increased grain production over a period of more than 100 years. By itself, Kernza is described as having a sweet, nutty flavor that is more earthy than wheat, although my cereal tasted no different. Kernza has many environmental and agricultural benefits. Unlike annual grains, Kernza is planted once and can be harvested for several years, which reduces the need for annual tilling. By not tilling, Kernza can provide cover for wildlife and increase microbial biodiversity in the soil. Mycorrhiza only flourish in undisturbed soil. Kernza also aids in soil health with its ten foot deep root system which anchors the soil, reduces erosion, and adds organic matter. This could also allow farming on slopes that would not normally be possible with annual crops. The roots can capture up to ninety-six percent more harmful nitrate pollution than crops like corn and soy, leading to cleaner water and with its deep root, Kernza locks up more carbon and requires less fossil fuel based fertilizer, which can lower greenhouse gas emissions. 

Compared to annual wheat, Kernza is higher in protein, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. Now it will probably be years before we see a wide variety of products in the grocery stores that contain Kernza as it is currently only available in the United States. But the potential is remarkable as this is the world’s first commercially viable perennial grain crop. Just like an apple orchard, blueberry farm or orange grove, a farmer can grow a grain crop that just needs to be planted once and then cared for. The savings of time and money alone could make farming profitable for areas that traditionally have not been. Kernza is also very cold hardy with its deep roots, surviving winters down to forty below zero. Right now crop yields are still on the light side but by using selective breeding increased yields should be achieved over time. Kernza can also be harvested for straw production at the end of the growing season as well. So you can get two crops per year from one plant, there is a lot of potential for Kernza in the future.