Perennial Food Crops

[Sorcerer]

Are there any developments regarding using perennials instead of annual food crops? No need to plough and plant every year, deeper roots meaning greater carbon capture, less soil erosion etc.

 

[ElectricFetus]

Are there any developments regarding using perennials instead of annual food crops? No need to plough and plant every year, deeper roots meaning greater carbon capture, less soil erosion etc.

Not to my knowlegde, but this the great dream of agriculture biotechnology

 

[scheherazade]

Lambsquarter or Pigweed comes to mind as a possible contender. I harvest and freeze some every year to use in recipes that call for frozen spinach as it is milder in flavor than spinach and in this northern climate it grows more reliably. It is a self-seeding annual plant of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae).

http://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/lambs-quarter-a-great-edible-plant/#.Ulh4lhBQWiM

 

[ElectricFetus]

Oh stinging nettle is a perennial and I've made a fine spinach replicate out of it before. Handle with gloves, once boiled there is no more sting.

But the idea is to replace seasonal primary crops (corn, wheat, rice, etc) with engineered perennial versions. Since these crops are the main source of agriculture pollution. The requirement to plough every year, and their need for ammonia and water would be greatly reduced if they had perennial deep root structures.

 

[Jeeves]

My most favoured method is mixed agriculture, annual additions to a perennial base. That way, you have maximum flexibility and yield in a minimum of space, with surprisingly little effort. And, of course, it's far better for the local eco-system than regular farming.

 

[ElectricFetus]

My most favoured method is mixed agriculture, annual additions to a perennial base. That way, you have maximum flexibility and yield in a minimum of space, with surprisingly little effort. And, of course, it's far better for the local eco-system than regular farming.

What kinds of yields have in fact been measured in this 'forestry gardening'? Look what we are talking about is converting most of the worlds agriculture to one that would be significantly more 'Eco-friendly' without sacrificing yield.

 

[Sorcerer]

Using green energy - tidal for example - to drive de-salination plants and irrigate the deserts, then planting perennials and forests would be a good way to generate a vast amount of carbon capture. Lower yields wouldn't matter much since all the land would be new. It may not be all that expensive since the tidal barriers would only be built once and the whole thing would be cheap to run. I read somewhere that once there was enough in the way of plants and tress, the cooling generated would encourage cloud formation and some rain, which would help the whole process. Maybe it could save the planet.