Climate change challenges, plant science solutions.

Climate change is a defining challenge of the 21st century, and this decade is a critical time for action to mitigate the worst effects on human populations and ecosystems. Plant science can play an important role in developing crops with enhanced resilience to harsh conditions (e.g. heat, drought, salt stress, flooding, disease outbreaks) and engineering efficient carbon-capturing and carbon-sequestering plants. Here, we present examples of research being conducted in these areas and discuss challenges and open questions as a call to action for the plant science community.

Lignin, extractives and structural carbohydrate characteristics of Thinopyrum intermedium biomass reveal additional valorization opportunities for dual-crop utilization.

BACKGROUND: Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey, or intermediate wheat grass (IWG), is being developed as the first widely-available perennial grain candidate. However, because the crop is still in development, grain yields are lower than those of traditional cereals. Utilization of its non-grain biomass (e.g. for biofuel production and as a source of fine chemicals) would increase the economic value of its cultivation. The present study provides a structural characterization of the lignin and cell wall carbohydrates in IWG biomass and qualitative profiling of biomass extractives and compares them to those of annual wheat (Triticum aestivum) biomass grown in the same location and growing season. RESULTS: The monosaccharide composition and ester-linked phenolic acid contents of vegetative biomass material from annual wheat and IWG were similar. IWG vegetative biomass is rich in feruloylated arabinoxylans (AX) with a very low substitution rate, whereas the AX from IWG bran have a slightly higher substitution rate. The structure of IWG lignin was investigated using both the quantitative derivatization followed by reductive cleavage method and 2D-NMR analysis, revealing an H:G:S lignin that incorporates tricin and is acylated with coumaric acid and smaller amounts of ferulates. IWG and wheat extractives contained fatty acids, various free phenolic compounds (tricin, monolignols and phenolic acids), phenolic conjugates and phytosterols. CONCLUSION: The present study provides firm support for the further exploration of T. intermedium biomass as a carbohydrate feedstock (e.g, abundant in lightly substituted AX and cellulose polymers) for biofuel production and source of high-value fine chemicals, such as tricin. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Accelerated Domestication of New Crops: Yield is Key.

Sustainable agriculture in the future will depend on crops that are tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses, require minimal input of water and nutrients and can be cultivated with a minimal carbon footprint. Wild plants that fulfill these requirements abound in nature but are typically low yielding. Thus, replacing current high-yielding crops with less productive but resilient species will require the intractable trade-off of increasing land area under cultivation to produce the same yield. Cultivating more land reduces natural resources, reduces biodiversity and increases our carbon footprint. Sustainable intensification can be achieved by increasing the yield of underutilized or wild plant species that are already resilient, but achieving this goal by conventional breeding programs may be a long-term prospect. De novo domestication of orphan or crop wild relatives using mutagenesis is an alternative and fast approach to achieve resilient crops with high yields. With new precise molecular techniques, it should be possible to reach economically sustainable yields in a much shorter period of time than ever before in the history of agriculture.

Genetic architecture and QTL selection response for Kernza perennial grain domestication traits.

KEY MESSAGE: Analysis of multi-year breeding program data revealed that the genetic architecture of an intermediate wheatgrass population was highly polygenic for both domestication and agronomic traits, supporting the use of genomic selection for new crop domestication. Perennial grains have the potential to provide food for humans and decrease the negative impacts of annual agriculture. Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG, Thinopyrum intermedium, Kernza®) is a promising perennial grain candidate that The Land Institute has been breeding since 2003. We evaluated four consecutive breeding cycles of IWG from 2016 to 2020 with each cycle containing approximately 1100 unique genets. Using genotyping-by-sequencing markers, quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped for 34 different traits using genome-wide association analysis. Combining data across cycles and years, we found 93 marker-trait associations for 16 different traits, with each association explaining 0.8-5.2% of the observed phenotypic variance. Across the four cycles, only three QTL showed an FST differentiation > 0.15 with two corresponding to a decrease in floret shattering. Additionally, one marker associated with brittle rachis was 216 bp from an ortholog of the btr2 gene. Power analysis and quantitative genetic theory were used to estimate the effective number of QTL, which ranged from a minimum of 33 up to 558 QTL for individual traits. This study suggests that key agronomic and domestication traits are under polygenic control and that molecular methods like genomic selection are needed to accelerate domestication and improvement of this new crop.

Sequenced-based paternity analysis to improve breeding and identify self-incompatibility loci in intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium).

KEY MESSAGE: Paternity assignment and genome-wide association analyses for fertility were applied to a Thinopyrum intermedium breeding program. A lack of progeny between combinations of parents was associated with loci near self-incompatibility genes. In outcrossing species such as intermediate wheatgrass (IWG, Thinopyrum intermedium), polycrossing is often used to generate novel recombinants through each cycle of selection, but it cannot track pollen-parent pedigrees and it is unknown how self-incompatibility (SI) genes may limit the number of unique crosses obtained. This study investigated the potential of using next-generation sequencing to assign paternity and identify putative SI loci in IWG. Using a reference population of 380 individuals made from controlled crosses of 64 parents, paternity was assigned with 92% agreement using Cervus software. Using this approach, 80% of 4158 progeny (n = 3342) from a polycross of 89 parents were assigned paternity. Of the 89 pollen parents, 82 (92%) were represented with 1633 unique full-sib families representing 42% of all potential crosses. The number of progeny per successful pollen parent ranged from 1 to 123, with number of inflorescences per pollen parent significantly correlated to the number of progeny (r = 0.54, p < 0.001). Shannon's diversity index, assessing the total number and representation of families, was 7.33 compared to a theoretical maximum of 8.98. To test our hypothesis on the impact of SI genes, a genome-wide association study of the number of progeny observed from the 89 parents identified genetic effects related to non-random mating, including marker loci located near putative SI genes. Paternity testing of polycross progeny can impact future breeding gains by being incorporated in breeding programs to optimize polycross methodology, maintain genetic diversity, and reveal genetic architecture of mating patterns.

Genome mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling domestication traits of intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium).

Allohexaploid (2n = 6x = 42) intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium), abbreviated IWG, is an outcrossing perennial grass belonging to the tertiary gene pool of wheat. Perenniality would be valuable option for grain production, but attempts to introgress this complex trait from wheat-Thinopyrum hybrids have not been commercially successful. Efforts to breed IWG itself as a dual-purpose forage and grain crop have demonstrated useful progress and applications, but grain yields are significantly less than wheat. Therefore, genetic and physical maps have been developed to accelerate domestication of IWG. Herein, these maps were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and candidate genes associated with IWG grain production traits in a family of 266 full-sib progenies derived from two heterozygous parents, M26 and M35. Transgressive segregation was observed for 17 traits related to seed size, shattering, threshing, inflorescence capacity, fertility, stem size, and flowering time. A total of 111 QTLs were detected in 36 different regions using 3826 genotype-by-sequence markers in 21 linkage groups. The most prominent QTL had a LOD score of 15 with synergistic effects of 29% and 22% over the family means for seed retention and percentage of naked seeds, respectively. Many QTLs aligned with one or more IWG gene models corresponding to 42 possible domestication orthogenes including the wheat Q and RHT genes. A cluster of seed-size and fertility QTLs showed possible alignment to a putative Z self-incompatibility gene, which could have detrimental grain-yield effects when genetic variability is low. These findings elucidate pathways and possible hurdles in the domestication of IWG.

Managing for Multifunctionality in Perennial Grain Crops.

Plant breeders are increasing yields and improving agronomic traits in several perennial grain crops, the first of which is now being incorporated into commercial food products. Integration strategies and management guidelines are needed to optimize production of these new crops, which differ substantially from both annual grain crops and perennial forages. To offset relatively low grain yields, perennial grain cropping systems should be multifunctional. Growing perennial grains for several years to regenerate soil health before rotating to annual crops and growing perennial grains on sloped land and ecologically sensitive areas to reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses are two strategies that can provide ecosystem services and support multifunctionality. Several perennial cereals can be used to produce both grain and forage, and these dual-purpose crops can be intercropped with legumes for additional benefits. Highly diverse perennial grain polycultures can further enhance ecosystem services, but increased management complexity might limit their adoption.

Development of the first consensus genetic map of intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) using genotyping-by-sequencing.

KEY MESSAGE: Development of the first consensus genetic map of intermediate wheatgrass gives insight into the genome and tools for molecular breeding. Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) has been identified as a candidate for domestication and improvement as a perennial grain, forage, and biofuel crop and is actively being improved by several breeding programs. To accelerate this process using genomics-assisted breeding, efficient genotyping methods and genetic marker reference maps are needed. We present here the first consensus genetic map for intermediate wheatgrass (IWG), which confirms the species' allohexaploid nature (2n = 6x = 42) and homology to Triticeae genomes. Genotyping-by-sequencing was used to identify markers that fit expected segregation ratios and construct genetic maps for 13 heterogeneous parents of seven full-sib families. These maps were then integrated using a linear programming method to produce a consensus map with 21 linkage groups containing 10,029 markers, 3601 of which were present in at least two populations. Each of the 21 linkage groups contained between 237 and 683 markers, cumulatively covering 5061 cM (2891 cM--Kosambi) with an average distance of 0.5 cM between each pair of markers. Through mapping the sequence tags to the diploid (2n = 2x = 14) barley reference genome, we observed high colinearity and synteny between these genomes, with three homoeologous IWG chromosomes corresponding to each of the seven barley chromosomes, and mapped translocations that are known in the Triticeae. The consensus map is a valuable tool for wheat breeders to map important disease-resistance genes within intermediate wheatgrass. These genomic tools can help lead to rapid improvement of IWG and development of high-yielding cultivars of this perennial grain that would facilitate the sustainable intensification of agricultural systems.

Genome evolution of intermediate wheatgrass as revealed by EST-SSR markers developed from its three progenitor diploid species.

Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey), a segmental autoallohexaploid (2n = 6x = 42), is not only an important forage crop but also a valuable gene reservoir for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) improvement. Throughout the scientific literature, there continues to be disagreement as to the origin of the different genomes in intermediate wheatgrass. Genotypic data obtained from newly developed EST-SSR primers derived from the putative progenitor diploid species Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) Á. Löve (St genome), Thinopyrum bessarabicum (Savul. & Rayss) Á. Löve (J = J(b) = E(b)), and Thinopyrum elongatum (Host) D. Dewey (E = J(e) = E(e)) indicate that the V genome of Dasypyrum (Coss. & Durieu) T. Durand is not one of the three genomes in intermediate wheatgrass. Based on all available information in the literature and findings in this study, the genomic designation of intermediate wheatgrass should be changed to J(vs)J(r)St, where J(vs) and J(r) represent ancestral genomes of present-day J(b) of Th. bessarabicum and J(e) of Th. elongatum, with J(vs) being more ancient. Furthermore, the information suggests that the St genome in intermediate wheatgrass is most similar to the present-day St found in diploid species of Pseudoroegneria from Eurasia.

Useful insights from evolutionary biology for developing perennial grain crops.

Annual grain crops dominate agricultural landscapes and provide the majority of calories consumed by humanity. Perennial grain crops could potentially ameliorate the land degradation and off-site impacts associated with annual grain cropping. However, herbaceous perennial plants with constitutively high allocation to harvestable seeds are rare to absent in nature. Recent trade-off theory models suggest that rugged fitness landscapes may explain the absence of this form better than sink competition models. Artificial selection for both grain production and multiyear lifespan can lead to more rapid progress in the face of fitness and genetic trade-offs than natural selection but is likely to result in plant types that differ substantially from all current domestic crops. Perennial grain domestication is also likely to require the development of selection strategies that differ from published crop breeding methods, despite their success in improving long-domesticated crops; for this purpose, we have reviewed literature in the areas of population and evolutionary genetics, domestication, and molecular biology. Rapid domestication will likely require genes with large effect that are expected to exhibit strong pleiotropy and epistasis. Cryptic genetic variation will need to be deliberately exposed both to purge mildly deleterious alleles and to generate novel agronomic phenotypes. We predict that perennial grain domestication programs will benefit from population subdivision followed by selection for simple traits in each subpopulation, the evaluation of very large populations, high selection intensity, rapid cycling through generations, and heterosis. The latter may be particularly beneficial in the development of varieties with stable yield and tolerance to crowding.

Origin of current intermediate wheatgrass germplasm being developed for Kernza grain production.

Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG, Thinopyrum intermedium [Host] Barkworth & D. R. Dewey) has been developed as a perennial grain crop to provide ecosystem services, environmental benefits, and human food. Grain and products derived from IWG varieties improved for food production have been marketed under the registered trademark, Kernza. In the 1980s, a joint breeding effort between the Rodale Institute (RI) and the Big Flats Plant Material Center used IWG plant introductions (PI) from the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) and recurrent phenotypic selection to improve populations of IWG with the goal of developing a perennial grain. Initial selections were provided to The Land Institute where they were subsequently improved for grain production, yet the identity of the founder material of improved, food-grade IWG has not been publicly documented. Recently recovered original documents have been used to reconstruct the early breeding program to identify the most likely 20 PIs that form the founders of modern food-grade IWG. Molecular data using genotyping-by-sequencing in current elite breeding material, remnant seed from the initial RI selections, and preserved sample material have provided supporting evidence for the historical records. The genetic origin for food-grade IWG is focused between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in the Stavropol region of Russia, with smaller contributions likely from collections as distant as Kazakhstan in the east to Turkey in the west. This work connects the flow of germplasm and utility of NPGS PIs to present day IWG grain cultivars being developed in multiple breeding programs around the world.

Discussion: Prioritize perennial grain development for sustainable food production and environmental benefits.

Perennial grains have potential to contribute to ecological intensification of food production by enabling the direct harvest of human-edible crops without requiring annual cycles of disturbance and replanting. Studies of prototype perennial grains and other herbaceous perennials point to the ability of agroecosystems including these crops to protect water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, build soil quality, and sequester soil carbon. However, genetic improvement of perennial grain candidates has been hindered by limited investment due to uncertainty about whether the approach is viable. As efforts to develop perennial grain crops have expanded in past decades, critiques of the approach have arisen. With a recent report of perennial rice producing yields equivalent to those of annual rice over eight consecutive harvests, many theoretical concerns have been alleviated. Some valid questions remain over the timeline for new crop development, but we argue these may be mitigated by implementation of recent technological advances in crop breeding and genetics such as low-cost genotyping, genomic selection, and genome editing. With aggressive research investment in the development of new perennial grain crops, they can be developed and deployed to provide atmospheric greenhouse gas reductions.

Re-imagining crop domestication in the era of high throughput phenomics.

De novo domestication is an exciting option for increasing species diversity and ecosystem service functionality of agricultural landscapes. Genomic selection (GS), the application of genomic markers to predict phenotypic traits in a breeding population, offers the possibility of rapid genetic improvement, making GS especially attractive for modifying traits of long-lived species. However, for some wild species just entering the domestication pipeline, especially those with large and complex genomes, a lack of funding and/or prior genome characterization, GS is often out of reach. High throughput phenomics has the potential to augment traditional pedigree selection, reduce costs and amplify impacts of genomic selection, and even create new predictive selection approaches independent of sequencing or pedigrees.

Perennials as Future Grain Crops: Opportunities and Challenges.

Perennial grain crops could make a valuable addition to sustainable agriculture, potentially even as an alternative to their annual counterparts. The ability of perennials to grow year after year significantly reduces the number of agricultural inputs required, in terms of both planting and weed control, while reduced tillage improves soil health and on-farm biodiversity. Presently, perennial grain crops are not grown at large scale, mainly due to their early stages of domestication and current low yields. Narrowing the yield gap between perennial and annual grain crops will depend on characterizing differences in their life cycles, resource allocation, and reproductive strategies and understanding the trade-offs between annualism, perennialism, and yield. The genetic and biochemical pathways controlling plant growth, physiology, and senescence should be analyzed in perennial crop plants. This information could then be used to facilitate tailored genetic improvement of selected perennial grain crops to improve agronomic traits and enhance yield, while maintaining the benefits associated with perennialism.

A high-throughput skim-sequencing approach for genotyping, dosage estimation and identifying translocations.

The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) enabled a shift from array-based genotyping to directly sequencing genomic libraries for high-throughput genotyping. Even though whole-genome sequencing was initially too costly for routine analysis in large populations such as breeding or genetic studies, continued advancements in genome sequencing and bioinformatics have provided the opportunity to capitalize on whole-genome information. As new sequencing platforms can routinely provide high-quality sequencing data for sufficient genome coverage to genotype various breeding populations, a limitation comes in the time and cost of library construction when multiplexing a large number of samples. Here we describe a high-throughput whole-genome skim-sequencing (skim-seq) approach that can be utilized for a broad range of genotyping and genomic characterization. Using optimized low-volume Illumina Nextera chemistry, we developed a skim-seq method and combined up to 960 samples in one multiplex library using dual index barcoding. With the dual-index barcoding, the number of samples for multiplexing can be adjusted depending on the amount of data required, and could be extended to 3,072 samples or more. Panels of doubled haploid wheat lines (Triticum aestivum, CDC Stanley x CDC Landmark), wheat-barley (T. aestivum x Hordeum vulgare) and wheat-wheatgrass (Triticum durum x Thinopyrum intermedium) introgression lines as well as known monosomic wheat stocks were genotyped using the skim-seq approach. Bioinformatics pipelines were developed for various applications where sequencing coverage ranged from 1 × down to 0.01 × per sample. Using reference genomes, we detected chromosome dosage, identified aneuploidy, and karyotyped introgression lines from the skim-seq data. Leveraging the recent advancements in genome sequencing, skim-seq provides an effective and low-cost tool for routine genotyping and genetic analysis, which can track and identify introgressions and genomic regions of interest in genetics research and applied breeding programs.

Development of whole-genome prediction models to increase the rate of genetic gain in intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) breeding.

The development of perennial grain crops is driven by the vision of simultaneous food production and enhanced ecosystem services. Typically, perennial crops like intermediate wheatgrass (IWG)[Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R Dewey] have low seed yield and other detrimental traits. Next-generation sequencing has made genomic selection (GS) a tractable and viable breeding method. To investigate how an IWG breeding program may use GS, we evaluated 3,658 genets over 2 yr for 46 traits to build a training population. Six statistical models were used to evaluate the non-replicated data, and a model using autoregressive order 1 (AR1) spatial correction for rows and columns combined with the genomic relationship matrix provided the highest estimates of heritability. Genomic selection models were built from 18,357 single nucleotide polymorphism markers via genotyping-by-sequencing, and a 20-fold cross-validation showed high predictive ability for all traits (r > .80). Predictive abilities improved with increased training population size and marker numbers, even with larger amounts of missing data per marker. On the basis of these results, we propose a GS breeding method that is capable of completing one cycle per year compared with a minimum of 2 yr per cycle with phenotypic selection. We estimate that this breeding approach can increase the rate of genetic gain up to 2.6× above phenotypic selection for spike yield in IWG, allowing GS to enable rapid domestication and improvement of this crop. These breeding methods should be transferable to other species with similar long breeding cycles or limited capacity for replicated observations.

Genomic prediction enables rapid selection of high-performing genets in an intermediate wheatgrass breeding program.

In an era of constrained and depleted natural resources, perennial grains could provide sustainable food production along with beneficial ecosystem services like reduced erosion and increased atmospheric carbon capture. Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D. R. Dewey subsp. intermedium] has been undergoing continuous breeding for domestication to develop a perennial grain crop since the 1980s. As a perennial, IWG has required 2-5 yr per selection generation, but starting in 2017, genomic selection (GS) was initiated in the breeding program at The Land Institute, Salina, KS (TLI), enabling one complete cycle per year. For each cycle, ∼4,000 seedlings were profiled using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) were calculated. Selection based on GEBVs identified ∼100 individuals to advance as parents each generation, while validation populations of 1,000-1,200 genets for GS model training were also selected using the genomic relationship matrix to represent genetic diversity in each cycle. The selected parents were randomly intermated in a greenhouse crossing block to form the subsequent cycle, while the validation populations were transplanted to irrigated and nonirrigated field sites for phenotypic evaluations in the following years. For priority breeding traits of seed mass, free threshing, and nonshattering, correlations between predicted values and observed data were >.5. The realized selection differential ranged from 11-23% for selected traits, and the expected genetic gains for these traits, including spike yield, ranged from 6 to 14% per year. Genomic selection is a powerful tool to speed the domestication and development of IWG and other perennial crops with extended breeding timelines.

QTL for seed shattering and threshability in intermediate wheatgrass align closely with well-studied orthologs from wheat, barley, and rice.

Perennial grain crops have the potential to improve agricultural sustainability but few existing species produce sufficient grain yield to be economically viable. The outcrossing, allohexaploid, and perennial forage species intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D. R. Dewey] has shown promise in undergoing direct domestication as a perennial grain crop using phenotypic and genomic selection. However, decades of selection will be required to achieve yields on par with annual small-grain crops. Marker-aided selection could accelerate progress if important genomic regions associated with domestication were identified. Here we use the IWG nested association mapping (NAM) population, with 1,168 F1 progeny across 10 families to dissect the genetic control of brittle rachis, floret shattering, and threshability. We used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 8,003 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and linkage mapping-both within-family and combined across families-with a robust phenotypic dataset collected from four unique year-by-location combinations. A total of 29 quantitative trait loci (QTL) using GWAS and 20 using the combined linkage analysis were detected, and most large-effect QTL were in common across the two analysis methods. We reveal that the genetic control of these traits in IWG is complex, with significant QTL across multiple chromosomes, sometimes within and across homoeologous groups and effects that vary depending on the family. In some cases, these QTL align within 216 bp to 31 Mbp of BLAST hits for known domestication genes in related species and may serve as precise targets of selection and directions for further study to advance the domestication of IWG.

Nested association mapping reveals the genetic architecture of spike emergence and anthesis timing in intermediate wheatgrass.

Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) is an outcrossing, cool season grass species currently undergoing direct domestication as a perennial grain crop. Though many traits are selection targets, understanding the genetic architecture of those important for local adaptation may accelerate the domestication process. Nested association mapping (NAM) has proven useful in dissecting the genetic control of agronomic traits many crop species, but its utility in primarily outcrossing, perennial species has yet to be demonstrated. Here, we introduce an intermediate wheatgrass NAM population developed by crossing ten phenotypically divergent donor parents to an adapted common parent in a reciprocal manner, yielding 1,168 F1 progeny from 10 families. Using genotyping by sequencing, we identified 8,003 SNP markers and developed a population-specific consensus genetic map with 3,144 markers across 21 linkage groups. Using both genomewide association mapping and linkage mapping combined across and within families, we characterized the genetic control of flowering time. In the analysis of two measures of maturity across four separate environments, we detected as many as 75 significant QTL, many of which correspond to the same regions in both analysis methods across 11 chromosomes. The results demonstrate a complex genetic control that is variable across years, locations, traits, and within families. The methods were effective at detecting previously identified QTL, as well as new QTL that align closely to the well-characterized flowering time orthologs from barley, including Ppd-H1 and Constans. Our results demonstrate the utility of the NAM population for understanding the genetic control of flowering time and its potential for application to other traits of interest.

Carbon and water relations in perennial Kernza (Thinopyrum intermedium): An overview.

Perennial crops have been proposed as a more sustainable alternative to annual crops, because they have extended growing seasons, continuous ground cover, reduced nutrient leakage, and sequester more carbon in the soils than annual crops. One example is intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium), a perennial crop that has been used as a cool-season forage throughout the USA and Canada and also across its native range in Eurasia. Since the 1980's, intermediate wheatgrass has been under domestication to improve seed fertility and grain yield. Commercial products are being sold under the trade name Kernza, owned by The Land Institute, located in Salina, Kansas, USA. This review provides a comprehensive framework about the physical and biological aspects involving the water and carbon cycles in Kernza plants. The main aspects we highlight here are based on previous findings regarding Kernza: i) the ability of maintaining a relatively high water-use efficiency throughout the whole growing season, which is beneficial to mitigate water stress, representing an important physiological mean to acclimate under severe, unfavorable weather conditions, and ii) its higher evapotranspiration (ET) and net carbon uptake rates, particularly when compared to annual counterparts. Only a thorough multifaceted assessment of the repercussion for carbon and water fluxes of a shift from annual crops to Kernza will allow assessing the perspectives of such novel perennial crop to support food security and a number of ecosystem services, particularly under future climates.