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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Forage and Range Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #351686
Title: Dryland seedling emergence of basalt milkvetch (Astragalus filipes) and western prairie clover (Dalea ornata) under different planting seasons and seed treatments

Author
item Bushman, Shaun
item HORNING, M - Us Forest Service (FS)
item SHOCK, C - Oregon State University
item FEIBERT, E - Oregon State University
item JOHNSON, DOUGLAS - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: Native Plants Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/26/2019
Publication Date: 11/19/2019
Citation: Bushman, B.S., Horning, M.E., Shock, C.C., Feibert, E.B., Johnson, D. 2019. Dryland seedling emergence of basalt milkvetch (Astragalus filipes) and western prairie clover (Dalea ornata) under different planting seasons and seed treatments. Native Plant Journal. 20(3):239-243. https://doi.org/10.3368/npj.20.3.239.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/npj.20.3.239

Interpretive Summary: Basalt milkvetch and western prairie clover are native perennial legumes distributed in the northern Great Basin and Columbia River Plateau, with recent germplasm releases providing seed for revegetation. Although seed germination studies have identified scarification requirements for both species, and additional cold-stratification for A. filipes, no research has been conducted to optimize the likelihood of seedling emergence on rangeland sites. In this study, we planted both species in three locations in the northern Great Basin over three years. Seeds were planted in both fall and spring seasons, with emergence measured each June. For both species, there was signficant variation in seedling emergence success across locations and years, with the Powell Butte, Oregon location providing the highest emergence and the 2011-2012 winter season leading to the highest emergence. For A. filipes, the greatest seedling emergence occurred with fall plantings with scarified seed. For D. ornata, the greatest emergence occurred with spring planting with scarified seed.

Technical Abstract: Basalt milkvetch and western prairie clover are native perennial legumes distributed in the northern Great Basin and Columbia River Plateau, with recent germplasm releases providing seed for revegetation. Although seed germination studies have identified scarification requirements for both species, and additional cold-stratification for A. filipes, no research has been conducted to optimize the likelihood of seedling emergence on rangeland sites. In this study, we planted both species in three locations in the northern Great Basin over three years. Seeds were planted in both fall and spring seasons, with emergence measured each June. For both species, there was significant variation in seedling emergence success across locations and years, with the Powell Butte, Oregon location providing the highest emergence and the 2011-2012 winter season leading to the highest emergence. For A. filipes, the greatest seedling emergence occurred with fall plantings with scarified seed. For D. ornata, the greatest emergence occurred with spring planting with scarified seed.