MDA awards $1 million for ‘Forever Green' research projects

——-   Minnesota River Weekly Update; November 17, 2015 ——

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) received $1 million of Clean Water Funds to support the Forever Green Agricultural Initiative at the University of Minnesota for fiscal year 2016. The program selected 11 projects which focus on incorporating perennial and winter annual crops into existing agricultural practices through a request for proposal process administered by the University. The MDA will oversee the distribution of funds and coordinate reporting on progress results and outcomes. The following research projects were selected for funding:

  • Advanced Management Practices for Enhancing Profitability of Intermediate Wheatgrass
  • Advancing Hazelnut Micro-Propagation
  • Agronomics Development of Winter Annual Oilseeds in a Field Corn Production System
  • Developing Genomic Resources for Helianthus Divaracatus to Facilitate the Development of Perennial Sunflower for Food Production and Wildlife Services
  • Effect of Cover Crops on Water Use and Nitrogen Leaching in Corn and Soybean Cropping Systems
  • Effect of Refinement and Dough Conditioners on the Quality of Intermediate Wheatgrass for Food Applications
  • Field Pennycress Breeding Project Support
  • Integrating Winter Annual Cover Crops into Corn and Soybean Rotations in Minnesota
  • Intermediate Wheatgrass Breeding Support using Phenotypic and Genotypic-based Selection Methods
  • Population Dynamics of Soybean Cyst Nematode in Winter Annual Oilseeds
  • Sustaining Hazelnut Breeding and Agronomic Research at the University of Minnesota

According to the university’s website, “Most of our current crops are ‘summer-annuals’ that are grown during the summer. By selectively adding winter-annual and perennial crops to our agricultural landscapes to create new crop production systems, we can enhance the prosperity of Minnesota agriculture, support rural communities, and provide major benefits to all Minnesotans.”