1:00 PM-5:20 PM Development of Native Plant Materials for the Great Basin - Continued

Maximization of Great Basin wildland forb seed production using variations of cultural practices. Anderson, Val jo^*,1, Johnson, Robert¹, ¹ Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

ABSTRACT- The successful production and harvest of native seed is an essential factor in ensuring the diversity and quantity of forb seed exists for restoration seedings. Key to high volume seed production is the cultivation of desired forb species under modern agronomic systems of mechanization where yield is maximized. Native forb species are highly variable in their suitability for standard agronomic production. One project involving eight species with multiple cultural practices as treatments revealed only three species as suitable for standard production. Sphaeralcea munroana, grossulariifolia, and coccinea all displayed reasonable seed production within their first year, maximum production their second year, and acceptable production their third year though a marked decline in mortality and health was visible. Another study showed that Erigeron speciosus and Heterotheca villosa had good seed production their first and second year while other species responded poorly to transplanting and year to year survivability. Inducing wild populations of shrubs to produce seed more abundantly for the purpose of seed harvesting has met with varied results.

KEY WORDS: seed production, Great Basin, forbs, shrubs