grass and forb demonstration planting, sublette county, wyhad moderate vigor ratings for 1996 –...
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Grass and Forb Demonstration Planting, Sublette County, WY
Objective: Demonstrate and evaluate grass and forb accessions and cultivars for range & wildlife plantings
Fig. 1. Field planting evaluation 21 years after initial seeding.
County: Sublette County, WY Average Annual Precipitation: 12 inches Current MLRA: 43B Central Rocky Mountains Soil Map Unit: 3501 Pinedale, very bouldery-Noclios , extremely bouldery complex, 4 to 20% slopes Dominant Soil Type: Pinedale, very bouldery and similar soils Current Ecological Site: Coarse Upland Foothills and Mountains West R043B208WY Elevation: 7450 ft Site Preparation: herbicide, rototilling, harrow and rolling Planting Date: Falls 1995, 1996 Planting Method: Belt seeder Previous Site History: Rangeland (Mtn big sage/bunchgrass) Herbicide: Glyphosate and 2,4-D early and late summer Irrigation: None Grazing: Wildlife only, livestock fenced out Monitoring Dates: multiple times since 1996 until June 2017
Introduction: This was a joint project with the Sublette County Conservation District, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, USDA-NRCS, Bridger Plant Materials Center, and Upper Colorado Environmental Plant Center (UCEPC). Fifty accessions representing 20 species were planted in September 1995, and thirty-three accessions were added to the planting in October 1996. The eighty-three accessions were planted in a randomized block design with three replications. Collections were provided by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), UCEPC, and Aberdeen and Bridger Plant Materials Centers. All accessions were planted using a belt seeder with 25 pure live seeds per linear foot with 12 inches row spacing. Plots were 30 x 4 ft (four rows per plot). The planting was evaluated for percent basal cover, vigor, leaf height and yield from 1996 – 2002 and in 2011. Evaluations in 2010 and 2017 rated overall stand status (Table 1).
Fig. 2. Indian ricegrass accessions established well and persisted (ARS Accession T-51, photo 2011).
Results: • Several accessions of Indian ricegrass
established well early in the project and maintained good status and moderate to high production through the entire 21 year period. The Indian ricegrass accessions even out-performed the species’ cultivars used as standards of comparison (Fig 2, Table 1).
• Columbia needlegrass also established well and maintained good stand, vigor, and yield throughout the project.
Karen Clause, Rangeland Management Specialist, Pinedale, MT June 2017
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• Idaho fescue accessions were slow to establish, having low basal cover and moderate vigor from 1996 – 2002. The stand increased over time and by 2011 had high stand ratings, and in 2017 Idaho fescue plots had high reproduction and good overall stand status (Fig 3).
• All basin wildrye accessions and cultivars performed well over time. The two ARS accessions had high initial basal cover and yield. Yield varied over time but vigor increased over time (Fig 4).Bluebunch wheatgrass ARS accessions and cultivars generally improved or maintained vigor over time. By 2017, Goldar had a good overall stand.
• ‘Sherman’ Big bluegrass had the highest average yield for any grass tested from 1996 – 2002. It maintained a good stand rating until 2010, but most plants had died in 2 of 3 replications by 2017. Vigor of remaining plants was good.
• Seeded forb and shrub species did not persist in this field planting. Most of the species had moderate vigor ratings for 1996 – 2002 but none of the species persisted in 2010, 2011, or 2017.
• Many of the shrubs planted as containerized stock are persisting at heights below the sagebrush canopy, and are stunted by herbivory and/or limited moisture on this well-drained site.
Fig. 3. Idaho fescue plots had good overall stand status, high reproduction, and lots of seedling. See details in Table 1 below for a wealth of information!
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Table 1. Seeded accessions and their evaluation summaries for 21 years. Data from 1996 – 2002 is the average for the six year period. Data is the average for the accession replications. Missing data indicate the species was not alive or data was not collected based on the low stand/vigor condition of the accession.
Scientific Name Common Name Accession / Cultivar
1996-2002 % Stand1
1996-2002
Vigor2
1996-2002 Yield
(lbs/ac)
2010 Status3
2011 Height (inch)
2011 Stand
Rating4
2011 Vigor2
2011 Yield
(lbs/ac) 2017 Status3
Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024715 8 6 114 - 19 8 4 126 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024716 8 5 191 Good 14 8 7 39 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024739 7 6 114 OK 16 7 6 110 Good Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024741 10 5 169 Good 20 4 3 308 Good Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024751 5 6 73 Good 17 9 5 32 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 109c 9 5 157 Good 20 4 3 307 Good Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 109c (1996) - - - Good 20 4 3 480 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024715 (1996) - - - OK 20 7 4 0 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024716 (1996) - - - Great 21 8 4 16 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024739 (1996) - - - Great 21 4 3 389 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024741 (1996) - - - - 22 3 3 129 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass 9024751 (1996) - - - - 19 8 5 170 - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass Nezpar 3 6 65 Great 12 9 8 - - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass Nezpar (1996) - - - Great - - - - - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass Rimrock 3 6 93 Good 15 9 6 - - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass Rimrock (1996) - - - Good 17 9 5 - - Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass T-51 7 6 137 - 17 6 5 170 Good Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass T-51 (1996) - - - Good 22 3 2 444 Great Achnatherum nelsonii Columbia needlegrass 9005589 18 5 299 Good 25 6 6 179 Good Achnatherum nelsonii Columbia needlegrass 9019230 17 5 304 Good 24 6 6 103 Great Achnatherum nelsonii Columbia needlegrass 9024804 19 5 234 - 23 8 6 177 Good Achnatherum nelsonii Columbia needlegrass 9039070 21 5 320 - 24 9 8 64 - Achnatherum nelsonii Columbia needlegrass 9040047 15 5 339 Good 20 6 6 191 Great Achnatherum nelsonii Columbia needlegrass 9040137 12 6 174 - 20 9 8 81 Achnatherum robustum Sleepy needlegrass ARS-T961b 26 4 394 - 11 9 9 - - Achnatherum robustum Sleepy needlegrass T-953 (1996) 8 6 171 - 22 9 9 - - Bromus inermis Smooth brome Liso 9 5 181 Good 22 4 3 Good Bromus inermis Smooth brome Manchar 6 5 119 OK 22 8 4 OK Bromus marginatus Mountain brome 9005308 4 5 115 - - - - - - Bromus marginatus Mountain brome 9019117 3 7 138 - - - - - - Bromus marginatus Mountain brome 9039066 3 6 84 - - - - - - Elymus elymoides Bottlebrush squirreltail 9019218 6 5 290 - 14 9 8 - -
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Scientific Name Common Name Accession / Cultivar
1996-2002 % Stand1
1996-2002
Vigor2
1996-2002 Yield
(lbs/ac)
2010 Status3
2011 Height (inch)
2011 Stand
Rating4
2011 Vigor2
2011 Yield
(lbs/ac) 2017 Status3
Elymus elymoides Bottlebrush squirreltail 9019219 3 6 154 - 13 9 8 - - Elymus elymoides Bottlebrush squirreltail 9040187 5 6 271 OK 13 9 7 - - Elymus elymoides Bottlebrush squirreltail 9040189 6 5 305 - 14 9 8 - - Elymus elymoides Bottlebrush squirreltail ARS-1105b 14 4 620 - 13 9 7 - -
Elymus elymoides Bottlebrush squirreltail Sand Hollow (1996) 3 6 63 Good 14 9 5 - Good
Elymus glaucus Blue wildrye 9030446 14 5 511 - - - - - - Elymus glaucus Blue wildrye 9039445 11 5 529 - - - - - - Elymus lanceolatus Thickspike wheatgrass Bannock 5 5 130 Good 16 6 6 - - Elymus lanceolatus Thickspike wheatgrass Bannock (1996) - - - Good 21 9 3 - - Elymus wawawaiensis Snake River wheatgrass ARS-E-20D 5 6 110 Good 7 9 9 - -
Elymus wawawaiensis Snake River wheatgrass ARS-E-20D (1996) - - - - 7 9 9 - -
Elymus wawawaiensis Snake River wheatgrass ARS-E-27 3 9 136 Good 14 9 8 - - Elymus wawawaiensis Snake River wheatgrass ARS-E-27 (1996) - - - - 21 9 3 - - Elymus wawawaiensis Snake River wheatgrass Secar 2 6 199 - - - - - - Elymus wawawaiensis Snake River wheatgrass Secar (1996) - - - Good 9 9 8 - - Festuca altaica Altai fescue 9026079 2 6 13 - 22 9 7 - - Festuca altaica Altai fescue 9026093 2 6 16 OK 21 9 7 - Good Festuca arizonica Arizona fescue Redondo 3 5 12 - 14 9 8 - - Festuca campestris Rough fescue 9025776 2 5 56 Good 27 8 3 - Good Festuca dasyclada Oil shale fescue SFP-Mix 3 6 45 - 14 9 7 - - Festuca idahoensis Idaho fescue 9005367 2 6 41 - 13 9 7 - Good Festuca idahoensis Idaho fescue 9025731 4 5 81 Good 17 9 7 - Good Festuca idahoensis Idaho fescue 9025897 3 5 109 Good 22 8 5 - Good Festuca idahoensis Idaho fescue 9025940 2 5 58 Good 18 9 6 - Good Festuca idahoensis Idaho fescue 9025999 2 5 68 Good 16 8 6 - Great Festuca idahoensis Idaho fescue 9039450 3 5 18 - 23 9 5 - - Festuca idahoensis Idaho fescue Joseph 3 5 27 OK 22 9 6 - Great Festuca ovina Sheep fescue Covar 2 5 76 - 17 9 7 - Good Leucopoa kingii Kingspike fescue 9016226 2 6 17 OK 16 9 7 - - Leymus cinereus Basin wildrye ARS-636b 33 5 340 Good 24 4 6 274 Great Leymus cinereus Basin wildrye Magnar 7 6 234 Good 25 8 6 130 Good Leymus cinereus Basin wildrye Trailhead (1996) 6 7 77 Good 21 8 7 465 OK Leymus hybrid Basin wildrye hybrid ARS-L4PX 26 5 449 Good 25 6 6 290 Good
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Scientific Name Common Name Accession / Cultivar
1996-2002 % Stand1
1996-2002
Vigor2
1996-2002 Yield
(lbs/ac)
2010 Status3
2011 Height (inch)
2011 Stand
Rating4
2011 Vigor2
2011 Yield
(lbs/ac) 2017 Status3
Leymus salinus Salina wildrye 9043501 4 5 169 Good 20 7 6 - Great Nasella viridula Green needlegrass Albertan (1996) 13 5 283 OK 20 8 8 - - Nasella viridula Green needlegrass Lodorm 10 5 306 Good 21 7 7 131 - Poa arida Plains bluegrass 434231 9 5 251 - 16 9 6 - - Poa compress Canada bluegrass Reubens 2 6 36 - 14 9 9 - - Poa secunda Big bluegrass 9005453 8 4 355 Good 20 9 7 - - Poa secunda Big bluegrass Sherman 9 4 547 Good 18 9 6 - Good (1 plot) Poa secunda Canby bluegrass Canbar 7 6 77 - 7 9 9 - - Poa secunda Alkali bluegrass 9005460 9 5 295 - 11 9 8 - - Poa secunda Sandberg bluegrass 9076297 18 4 176 - 3 8 9 - - Pseudoroegnaria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass ARS-238 (1996) 8 5 306 Good 23 7 5 - - Pseudoroegnaria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass ARS-P2b 9 5 232 - 21 8 5 - - Pseudoroegnaria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass ARS-P2b (1996) - - - - 16 7 5 - Good Pseudoroegnaria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass ARS-P4b 9 6 163 Good 16 9 7 - - Pseudoroegnaria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass ARS-P4b (1996) - - - - 14 9 7 - - Pseudoroegnaria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass Goldar 7 5 279 OK 18 7 4 - Good Pseudoroegnaria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass Goldar (1996) - - - Good 23 6 3 - Good Thinopyrum intermedium Intermediate wheatgrass Rush 14 5 130 - 14 9 8 - - Thinopyrum intermedium Intermediate wheatgrass Rush (1996) - - - - 16 9 7 - - Triticum aestivum x Thinopyrum intermedium Perennial wheat MT-2 2 7 22 - - - - - - Triticum aestivum x Thinopyrum intermedium Perennial wheat MT-2 (1996) - - - - - - - - - Astragalus cicer Cicer milkvetch Lutana 7 6 - - - - - - - Astragalus cicer Cicer milkvetch Lutana (1996) - - - - - - - - - Astragalus laxmannii var. robustior Prairie milkvetch 9057946 2 7 - - - - - - - Astragalus laxmannii var. robustior Prairie milkvetch 9057946 (1996) - - - - - - - - - Penstemon eatonii Firecracker penstemon Richfield 1 6 - - - - - - - Penstemon eatonii Firecracker penstemon Richfield (1996) - - - - - - - - -
Penstemon eatonii Firecracker penstemon Richfield (9008469) 6 6 - - - - - - -
Penstemon palmeri Palmer penstemon Cedar 5 5 - - - - - - - Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis White River penstemon 9038424 8 4 - - - - - - - Penstemon strictus Rocky Mountain Bandera 8 5 - - - - - - -
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Scientific Name Common Name Accession / Cultivar
1996-2002 % Stand1
1996-2002
Vigor2
1996-2002 Yield
(lbs/ac)
2010 Status3
2011 Height (inch)
2011 Stand
Rating4
2011 Vigor2
2011 Yield
(lbs/ac) 2017 Status3
penstemon
Penstemon venustus Venus penstemon Clear Water 3 6 - - - - - - -
Penstemon venustus Venus penstemon Clear Water (1996) - - - - - - - - -
Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush 9067480 1 6 - - - - - - - Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush 9067480 (1996) - 6 - - - - - - - Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush Rincon (1996) 1 5 - - - - - - - Atriplex xaptera Four-wing saltbush Wytana (1996) 2 5 65 - - - - - - Krascheninnikovia lanata Winterfat Hatch - 6 - - - - - - - Krascheninnikovia lanata Winterfat Hatch (1996) - - - - - - - - - 1Stand was measured as percent basal cover. 2Vigor was rated on a 1-9 scale with 1 being the best and 9 being the worst. 3Status was assessed as ok, good or great. 4Stand was rated on a 1-9 scale with 1 being the best and 9 being the worst.
Fig. 4. Basin wildrye established well, persisted on the planting site, and had high yield.