COLLECTION AND EVALUATION OF FORAGE GERMPLASM INDIGENOUS TO MONGOLIA

Authors: Johnson, Douglas; JIGJIDSUREN, SODNOMDARJAA - ULAANBAATAR,MONGOLIA; SHEEHY, DENNIS - WALLOWA, OR; MAJERUS, MARK - USDA-NRCS; WINSLOW, SUSAN - USDA-NRCS; HOLZWORTH, LARRY - USDA-NRCS

Submitted to: Forest Service General Technical Reports
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2005
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Citation: Johnson, D.A., Jigjidsuren, S., Sheehy, D., Majerus, M.E., Winslow, S.R., Holzworth, L.K. 2006. Collection and evaluation of forage germplasm indigenous to mongolia. Forest Service General Technical Reports.

Interpretive Summary: Three joint U.S./Mongolia germplasm collection expeditions were conducted in 1994, 1996, and 1998 to collect seed of important forage species in Mongolia. These expeditions resulted in the collection of a wide diversity of forage species from the major vegetation zones of Mongolia. These collections were equally shared between both countries, and the U.S. share of the seed was added to the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System where it is stored for use by scientists around the world. In subsequent years, collections from these expeditions were evaluted at three sites in Mongolia for forage production and conservation uses, and the most promising collections were identified. Results from these evaluation trials were used as a basis to publish a book describing the major forage plants of Mongolia. A project recently funded through the U.S. Embassy in Mongolia will provide funds to increase seed of the most promising forage species for use by herders and land managers in Mongolia.

Technical Abstract: Mongolian rangelands are biologically diverse and productive, and are ecologically similar to rangelands in the western U.S. Plant communities in Mongolia have evolved and adapted to sustained grazing pressure from wild and domesticated animals. Changing economic and social conditions in Mongolia and overgrazing are threatening plant diversity and rangeland health condition. Joint U.S./Mongolia plant collection trips were conducted in Mongolia during 1994, 1996, and 1998 to collect seeds of important forage species. The collecting teams traveled about 20,000 km and made more than 1,300 seed collections of grasses and forbs across the major ecological zones of Mongolia. These collections were equally shared, and the U.S. portion of the seed was incorporated into the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. Subsequent projects funded through the Food for Progress (PL-480) Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) allowed evaluations of the seed collections for forage and conservation use at three sites in Mongolia. These evaluations identified the most promising indigenous forage species, which included: Agropyron cristatum, Allium species, Astragalus adsurgens, Bromus inermis, Elymus dahuricus, Elymus gmelini, Elymus sibiricus, Festuca lenensis, Hordeum bogdanii, Medicago falcata, Poa pratensis, Polygonum divaricatum, Psathyrostachys juncea, Puccinellia marcranthera, Puccinellia tenuiflora, Stipa capillata, and Stipa krylovii. These species appear to have the greatest potential for use in Mongolia to revegetate abandoned wheat fields, restore deteriorated areas around villages, and rehabilitate areas disturbed by mining. A book entitled "Forage Plants in Mongolia" was published in Mongolian and English languages with funding from USDA-FAS. A project through the U.S. Embassy in Mongolia will provide funding to increase seed of the most promising collections and make seed available for use by Mongolian herders and land managers. Besides the direct benefit of providing seeds for restoration and conservation efforts in Mongolia, knowledge gained from this work will be applicable to the possible use of these species for livestock and conservation purposes in the western U.S.