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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Forage and Range Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #325838
Title: Evaluation of Utah trefoil collections for rangeland restoration in the southern Great Basin

Author
item Johnson, Douglas
item STETTLER, JASON - Utah State University
item MACADAM, JENNIFER - Utah State University
item Bushman, Shaun
item Connors, Kevin
item Jones, Thomas

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/25/2015
Publication Date: 1/22/2016
Citation: Johnson, D.A., Stettler, J.M., Macadam, J.W., Bushman, B.S., Connors, K.J., Jones, T.A. 2016. Evaluation of Utah trefoil collections for rangeland restoration in the southern Great Basin. Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wildfires, weed invasion, and various other land disturbances are common in rangeland ecosystems of the Intermountain Region in the western U.S. Revegetation/restoration may be required on many of these rangelands to improve degraded conditions, speed recovery, and minimize soil erosion. Legumes native to the Great Basin are of particular interest in rangeland revegetation/restoration because they have the potential to biologically fix nitrogen, provide high protein forage for livestock and wildlife, and enhance native pollinator habitat. However, few Great Basin legumes are commercially available as seed. Utah trefoil (Lotus utahensis Ottley) is a legume species that is native to the southern Great Basin and occurs in southern Utah, southern Nevada, and Arizona. Seed was collected from 19 sites throughout its distribution, plants were germinated and grown in a greenhouse, and transplants were established in common gardens at three sites in northern Utah. Plant development, morphological and physiological characteristics, forage quality, tannin content, and genetic diversity are being evaluated for each of the collections. Results from these evaluations will be discussed in relation to the development of a strategy for the evantual release of pre-variety germplasms of Utah trefoil.