Broccoli’s family tree reveals something interesting. Some of our most popular vegetables — broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi and brussels sprouts — are all derived from wild mustard. They are in the cruciferous family, or commonly known as cole crops. The orginal wild mustard Brassica oleracea is native to the coastal Mediterranean region, Jeanne Osnas, a researcher at Purdue University, shared on her blog Botanist in the Kitchen.

Centuries ago, farmers identified characteristics in some wild mustard plants that they wanted to keep and planted seeds from those plants, gradually emphasizing certain traits. Plants with a large terminal bud were bred to produce cabbage. Plants with desireable leaves eventually became kale, as well as collard greens and Chinese broccoli. Brussels sprouts were developed from plants with large lateral buds and the stem was developed to become kohlrabi.

In the case of broccoli, as well as cauliflower, the flowers were the focus. Broccoli was cultivated in Italy in ancient Roman times. The crop became popular in Europe and was introduced in the United States in the 1920s, according to Penn State Extension. Broccoli did not become a favorite until after about 1980. It is now the 11^th most-consumed fresh vegetable, according to USDA, and each American eats about 6.6 pounds per year. One reason we love it is because it is nutrient-dense. One cup of broccoli provides the full daily requirements for vitamins C and K. It is also a good source of fiber, vitamin A, folate and potassium.

Growers continue to experiment with the new combinations within the cruciferous family. Broccoflower is a green cauliflower. Broccolini is a hybrid between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is more of a distant cousin and comes from the turnip family.

It is fascinating to realize how one type of wild mustard plant could become so many different types of vegetables, each one unique but similar to the others. Each vegetable in the cruciferous family has something to bring to the table.

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It’s called the Habanada and is the creation of Cornell University plant breeder Michael Mazourek, who developed the pepper as part of his doctorate research. According to an article at the Cornell website, Mazourek wondered, “what if there was a pepper I could share with my friends who didn’t like hot peppers so they could taste what I love without the heat?”

The Scoville Scale measures levels of capsaicin, the chemical that causes a pepper’s burning sensation. A breed of pepper called Carolina Reaper, touted as the hottest pepper in the world, registers over 2 million units. Police-grade pepper spray measures 5.3 million units. A traditional habanero can hit the 300,000-unit level while the Habanada would be more like a traditional Bell Pepper with a score of zero.

Nearly a decade after Mazourek produced his first Habanada, the peppers aren’t yet readily available at grocery stores, but top chefs across the country give the pepper rave reviews. They’re becoming increasingly popular at farmers’ markets and seeds are available online for backyard gardeners. A review at one seed company’s website said, “It has the amazing sweet, melon-like flavor that you have almost forgotten a habanero has. But the minute you try (the Habanado), you immediately recognize it and prepare for the immense heat that you instinctively know is about to be unleashed, but … it never comes. Bravo!”

Mazourk uses traditional plant breeding – the art and science of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. One major technique of plant breeding is “selection” – the process of selectively propagating plants with desirable characteristics and eliminating or “culling” those with less desirable characteristics.

Few fresh fruits and vegetables are produced using genetic engineering, although that is changing. Since fruits and vegetables are not as widely grown as crops such as corn and soybeans, seed companies have not been as motivated to deal with the difficult and expensive safety tests and federal regulatory process required to approve a GMO for the consuming public.

There are exceptions as virus-resistant papaya, plum and squash, pest-resistant sweet corn and non-browning apples and potatoes are among genetically-engineered items that are nearing the marketplace. Read more about how technology helps crops grow here.

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What makes it different? Kernza is a perennial that lives for several years. Wheat, in comparison, is an annual crop that farmers typically plant in the fall. It is harvested in the summer when the grain is ripe and the plants die. Each year, new seed is planted.

Kernza is not a strain or species of wheat, but a registered trade name owned by The Land Institute for a type of intermediate wheatgrass, a wild relative of annual wheat. The seed is planted and farmers harvest the grain, but the plant continues to live in the soil and produce a crop every year.

Why is it important? Researchers developed Kernza to capture the environmental benefits of perennials. The roots of a Kernza plant grow 10 feet into the soil, much deeper than annual wheat. Those deeper roots allow the plant to store nutrients, resist drought and reduce soil erosion. Kernza can both protect the soil while producing food for people to eat.

How does it taste? The grain has a sweet, nutty flavor making it a good fit for cereals and snacks. The kernel is smaller than wheat and has more bran and fiber, but fewer carbohydrates.

When will it be available? General Mills announced that it will be using Kernza in some of its Cascadia Farms organic brand cereals and snacks. The products will be on store shelves next year.

The Land Institute has been conducting research on perennial grains since the 1980s and continues to work with the goal of developing varieties of Kernza that are economical for farmers to grow on a large scale. They expect the first Kernza variety will be widely available by 2019.

Where can you buy it? Kernza is available in a few specialty products now. Patagonia Provisions produces a beer called Long Root Ale which is sold on the West Coast. Chefs in the Minneapolis area, where Kernza is grown in test plots, have made pasta, tortillas and muffins. The Perennial restaurant in San Francisco serves Kernza bread and crackers.

Kernza is a new grain that has the potential to change how farmers grow crops. “Kernza is among the first of a range of new perennial crops in development that together are expected to build soil, improve wildlife habitat, protect water and provide abundant nutritious food. Over a few more decades of research and development, dedicated global partnerships will make this vision a tangible reality. Already the first fields now yielding Kernza perennial grain and the food and farming innovators working with the grain promise great things to come,” the Land Institute told us.

_{Photo Credit: The Land Institute}

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