Biggest thing in farming for 10,000 years on horizon

Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:29 pm » by **Terrac1de512**

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/25 ... ial_grain/

Agro-boffins in America say that mankind could be on the verge of the "biggest agricultural breakthrough in 10,000 years", as researchers close in on "perennial grains".

At the moment, most grain grown around the world has to be replanted after every crop. Farming so-called "annual" grain of this sort consumes a lot of resources and is hard on the land, which is especially worrying as half the world's population lives off farmland which could easily be rendered unproductive by intensive annual grain harvests.

"People talk about food security," says soil science prof John Reganold. "That's only half the issue. We need to talk about both food and ecosystem security."

--more--

Other benefits of a deep perennial root system beneath farmers' fields would be less erosion and better carbon sequestration. Perhaps most tellingly of all, such a field might need as little as 3 per cent of the fertilisers required by annuals. Not only are nitrate fertilisers energy-intensive to make, they are also prone to washing out of fields to pollute water supplies, kill habitats and cause other eco mischief. Perennial fields would also require much less in the way of herbicides to control weeds.

If this pans out, maybe it can eventually help solve the worlds food crisis??

Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:35 pm » by **Boondox681**

If this pans out, maybe it can eventually help solve the worlds food crisis??

great post.i've heard others mention this also and i get shit for my reply.
there is no food crisis.never has been.
the issue isn't abundance.the issue is distribution.
peace

Mon Jun 28, 2010 1:43 pm » by **Bariblind**

Good luck with Monsanto standing in the way. Try being the guy that says they won't get a pay check every year when farmers need to plant their crops.

They have a lot of pull and I don't think these perenials will grow legs. I love the idea though!

Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:30 am » by **Chashmere**

bariblind wrote:Good luck with Monsanto standing in the way. Try being the guy that says they won't get a pay check every year when farmers need to plant their crops.

They have a lot of pull and I don't think these perenials will grow legs. I love the idea though!

Monsanto has been hog tied by the courts.