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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Forage and Range Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398070
Research Project: Improved Plant Genetic Resources and Methodologies for Rangelands, Pastures, and Turf Landscapes in the Semiarid Western U.S.

Location: Forage and Range Research

Title: Notice of release of ‘Basin’ Utah Sweetvetch

Author
item Peel, Michael
item WALKER, SCOTT - Utah Division Of Wildlife Resources
item Waldron, Blair

Submitted to: Native Plants Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/24/2023
Publication Date: 2/22/2024
Citation: Peel, M., Walker, S., Waldron, B.L. 2024. Notice of release of ‘Basin’ Utah Sweetvetch. Native Plants Journal. 24(3):272-281. https://doi.org/10.3368/npj.24.3.272.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/npj.24.3.272

Interpretive Summary: Basin is a new cultivar of Utah sweetvetch developed for increased seed and forage production. Utah sweetvetch is a native legume desirable for use in new plantings and revegetation projects, however, seed is often limited. Both Basin’s seed and forage production are nearly double that of the only available cultivar Timp. Basin provides seed companies, public and private land managers an improved Utah sweetvetch with increased seed and forage production for revegetation projects in the Intermountain areas of the western US. Specifically, its increased seed production should increase seed availability and thus, reducing the price.

Technical Abstract: ‘Basin’ Utah sweetvetch (Hedysarum boreale Nutt. [Fabaceae]) a native legume was released as a replacement for ‘Timp’ for use in re-vegetation of rangelands in the inter-mountain region of western North America. Basin is derived from three cycles of recurrent selection for increased seed and forage mass production tracing to 16 germplasm sources originating from Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. In three years of testing seed yield of basin averaged 682 Kg ha-1 over double that of Timp at 320 Kg/ha. Forage biomass yield of Basin in field testing averaged 1,263 Kg ha-1 which was 90+% more than Timp at 659 Kg/ha. Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber, measures of forage nutritive value of Basin were comparable, if not better, than alfalfa. The release of Basin provides seed companies, public and private land managers an improved Utah sweetvetch with increased seed and forage production for revegetation projects in the Intermountain areas of the western US. Specifically, its increased seed production should increase seed availability and thus, reducing the price.