Potential for Perennial Grasses As An Organic Dual Forage-Grain Crop In Michigan.

The adoption of perennial grain crops presents farmers with many environmental, economic, and agronomic opportunities, as well as risks.  If crops such as perennial wheat (Triticum aestivum x Thinopyrum elongatum; pwheat) and intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium; IWG), two novel perennial grain species, can thrive as dual-purpose forage-grain crops, many of these risks will be alleviated.  In order to evaluate this potential, a field experiment to determine robustness of plant growth and perennial regrowth, as well as quality and quantity of harvested grain and forage for two planting dates and two cutting regimes, was conducted between fall of 2010 and fall of 2012 in southwest Michigan at Kellogg Biological Station (KBS).  Preliminary data indicate that in the first year, pwheat produces higher grain yields than IWG (279.34-378.77g of threshed grain/m² for pwheat vs. 75.84-201.12g of threshed grain/m² for IWG), but is less able to initiate late-season regrowth, and thus maintain perenniality, especially after forage harvest (50% plant death for cut pwheat vs. 0% plant death for cut IWG).