Investing In Perennial Grain Crops To Dramatically Improve Uptake and Retention Of Nitrogen.

The expensive and environmentally damaging nitrogen losses that occurred from Iowa cornfields this spring demonstrated how nitrogen uptake efficiency is compromised when active roots are absent from the soil profile.  There is strong evidence from pasture and bioenergy crops that perennial roots can dramatically improve on nitrogen uptake and retention over annual counterparts, due to greater N uptake from a larger soil volume throughout a longer growing season. In this poster we describe progress in the development of perennial grain crops, and their potential for increased N uptake and retention.