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Title: Managing for multifunctionality in perennial grain crops

Author
item RYAN, MATTHEW - Cornell University
item CREWS, TIMOTHY - The Land Institute
item CULMAN, STEVEN - The Ohio State University
item DEHAAN, LEE - The Land Institute
item HAYES, RICHARD - New South Wales Agriculture
item JUNGERS, JACOB - University Of Minnesota
item Bakker, Matthew

Submitted to: Bioscience
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/16/2018
Publication Date: 3/21/2018
Citation: Ryan, M.R., Crews, T.E., Culman, S.W., Dehaan, L.R., Hayes, R.C., Jungers, J.M., Bakker, M.G. 2018. Managing for multifunctionality in perennial grain crops. Bioscience. 68(4):294-304. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy014.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biy014

Interpretive Summary: Perennial grain crops represent a potential solution to many problems in agriculture and can contribute to ecological intensification because of their unique attributes and the supporting and regulating ecosystem services they provide. Recent progress with breeding perennial grain crops indicates good potential for successful commercialization; however, cropping systems research and management guidelines are needed to facilitate widespread adoption. To offset lower grain yields than annual crops, perennial grain crops can be harvested for other purposes and intercropped with other grain or forage crops as part of a multifunctional approach. Profitability of perennial grain crops can also be enhanced if farmers are rewarded for ecosystem services such as water purification and carbon sequestration. Although perennial grain crops might have some advantages over annual crops, without crop rotation pests will need to be managed with other tools including genetic resistance, mixed intercropping, and cultural management practices such as row spacing and soil fertility management. Research is needed to identify management strategies that lead to high sustained yield that is balanced with the provisioning of ecosystem services. Agroecologists, agronomists, breeders, farmers, and end users need to work together to advance perennial grain crops and cropping systems that meet multiple production goals such as high grain yield and improved soil health.

Technical Abstract: Perennial grain crops represent a potential solution to many problems in agriculture and can contribute to ecological intensification because of their unique attributes and the supporting and regulating ecosystem services they provide. Recent progress with breeding perennial grain crops indicates good potential for successful commercialization; however, cropping systems research and management guidelines are needed to facilitate widespread adoption. To offset lower grain yields than annual crops, perennial grain crops can be harvested for other purposes and intercropped with other grain or forage crops as part of a multifunctional approach. Profitability of perennial grain crops can also be enhanced if farmers are rewarded for ecosystem services such as water purification and carbon sequestration. Although perennial grain crops might have some advantages over annual crops, without crop rotation pests will need to be managed with other tools including genetic resistance, mixed intercropping, and cultural management practices such as row spacing and soil fertility management. Research is needed to identify management strategies that lead to high sustained yield that is balanced with the provisioning of ecosystem services. Agroecologists, agronomists, breeders, farmers, and end users need to work together to advance perennial grain crops and cropping systems that meet multiple production goals such as high grain yield and improved soil health.