Future Farming: A Return to Roots?

Abstract

82 SC IE NTIF IC AME RIC AN August 20 07 Large-scale agriculture would become more sustainable if major crop plants lived for years and built deep root systems By Jerry D. Glover, Cindy M. Cox and John P. Reganold MODERN FOOD CROPS depend heavily on irrigation and other human inputs while depleting the land and polluting surrounding environments. Development of perennial versions, such as the experimental hybrid of intermediate wheatgrass and triticale shown on the opposite page, could reduce those burdens.