Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY07 Progress Report

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY07 Progress Report

USDI Bureau of Land Management, Great Basin Restoration Initiative USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystem Research Program, Provo, UT and Boise, ID USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Logan, UT USDA Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, UT USDA Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Plant Introduction Station, Pullman, WA USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Great Basin Plant Materials Center, Fallon, NV USDA Forest Service, National Seed Laboratory, Dry Branch, GA USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR USDA Forest Service, Region 6, Pendleton, OR USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Great Basin Research Center, Ephraim, UT Utah Crop Improvement Association, Logan, UT Eastern Oregon Stewardship Services, Prineville, OR Truax Company, Inc., New Hope, MN Harold Wiedemann, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Tri-River Area, Grand Junction, CO Oregon State University, Malheur Experiment Station, Ontario, OR Boise State University, Boise, ID Brigham Young University, Provo, UT Montana State University, Bozeman, MT University of Nevada, Reno, NV Utah State University, Logan, UT Private seed industry

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY07 Progress Report March 2008

COOPERATORS USDI Bureau of Land Management, Great Basin Restoration Initiative USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystem Research Program, Provo, UT and Boise, ID USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Logan, UT USDA Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, UT USDA Agricultural Research Service, Western Regional Plant Introduction Station, Pullman, WA USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Great Basin Plant Materials Center, Fallon, NV USDA Forest Service, National Seed Laboratory, Dry Branch, GA USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR USDA Forest Service, Region 6, Pendleton, OR USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Great Basin Research Center, Ephraim, UT Utah Crop Improvement Association, Logan, UT Eastern Oregon Stewardship Services, Prineville, OR Truax Company, Inc., New Hope, MN Harold Wiedemann, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Tri-River Area, Grand Junction, CO Oregon State University, Malheur Experiment Station, Ontario, OR Boise State University, Boise, ID Brigham Young University, Provo, UT Montana State University, Bozeman, MT University of Nevada, Reno, NV Utah State University, Logan, UT Private seed industry

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY07 Progress Report The Interagency Native Plant Materials Development Program outlined in the 2002 Report to Congress (USDI and USDA 2002), USDI Bureau of Land Management programs and policies and the Great Basin Restoration Initiative encourage the use of native species for rangeland rehabilitation and restoration where feasible. This project was initiated to foster the development of native plant materials based on analysis of adaptive traits for use in the Great Basin and to provide information that will be useful to managers when making decisions about selecting appropriate plant materials for seedings. A second major objective is to provide the equipment and techniques required for reestablishing diverse native communities. Research priorities include: 1) improvement in the availability of native plant materials adapted to major bio-geographic areas of the Great Basin with an emphasis on native forbs; 2) development of seed technology and cultural practices required for agricultural seed increase of native forbs and grasses; 3) management or re-establishment of wildland shrub stands to improve seed availability and conserve native populations; 4) evaluation of the potential for increasing native plant diversity in established crested wheatgrass stands in the Great Basin while minimizing weed invasion; 5) investigation of the biology of native forbs, emphasizing seed germination and seedling establishment; 6) examination of interactions among restoration species and between restoration species and invasive exotics; 7) evaluation of rangeland drills and strategies for establishing diverse native communities; and 8) technology transfer. We thank our collaborators for their expertise and in-kind contributions that have made it possible to address the many issues involved in native plant materials development and use. We offer a special thanks to Durant McArthur for his continuing support and to Kelsey Sherich, Matthew Fisk, Nicholas Williams, Jan Gurr and Robert Cox for their tenacity and cheerfulness while completing this report and the 2001-2007 report to the Washington Office. Nancy Shaw USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Boise, ID [email protected]

Mike Pellant, Coordinator Great Basin Restoration Initiative USDI Bureau of Land Management Boise, ID [email protected]

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise/research/shrub/greatbasin.shtml Great Basin Restoration Initiative Website: http://www.blm.gov/nifc/st/en/prog/fire/more/gbri.html

NOTE: The results in this report should be considered preliminary in nature and should not be quoted or cited without the written consent of the Principal Investigator for the study. ii

Summary of 2007 Progress Highlights from the 2007 report are provided below. Current status of plant materials and restoration studies are summarized in the Appendix. Plant materials development: Common gardens studies to examine adaptive variation/seed zone development: • Seed collections: 109. •

Hesperostipa comata (needle-and-thread grass) (four common gardens), Lupinus prunophilus (hairy bigleaf lupine) and L. arbustus (longspur lupine) (two common gardens) and other forb and grass species (See Appendix I) are being evaluated at multiple locations.

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Strong differences in plant traits measured on 115 Achnatherum hymenoides (Indian ricegrass) accessions in two common gardens showed that genetic variation was associated with seed collection location. Since plant traits frequently correlated with environmental factors such as elevation, attitude, and minimum temperature at seed collection sites, adaptation in A. hymenoides appeared to be driven by the seed source environment. A second year of study is needed but this shows that an understanding of seed transfer zones will be required for revegetation efforts.

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In the first year of a study on Pseudoroegneria spicata (bluebunch wheatgrass) strong genetic variation was observed among the 120 seed collection locations. Interactions with garden site and collection location were also strong. Thus, growth and development of P. spicata depended both on where the germplasm originated and on where it was evaluated. These results show a need for assessing seed adaptation zones for bluebunch wheatgrass revegetation in the Great Basin.

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Allium acuminatum (taper-tip onion) populations collected across the Great Basin and grown in common gardens showed strong genetic differences. Correlation of plant traits with factors such as elevation, temperature, and precipitation also showed that much of the genetic variation was associated with seed source environment. The data suggest that adaptive difference in A. acuminatum exist among Great Basin germplasm with the potential need for seed transfer zones. This will be determined with final data analysis in 2008.

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Astragalus utahensis (Utah milkvetch) and Agoseris aurantiaca (orange agoseris), A. heterophylla (annual agoseris) and A. glauca (pale agoseris) are going through seed increases. Release may be possible in 2008, but efficient and economical seed harvesting is the main obstacle to commercial production at present.

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Crepis acuminata (tapertip hawksbeard) and C. intermedia (gray hawksbeard): One new irrigated trial of each was established. Established gardens began flowering in the third year. More flowering and better survival were noted for C. intermedia. Aphids and seed predators reduced seed production.

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Eriogonum ovalifolium (cushion buckwheat): Some seed was produced during the first year from a transplanted garden. Increase of separate materials for four Level 3 ecoregions will begin in 2008. iii

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The USDA NRCS Aberdeen Plant Materials Center provided a report on third-year performance of 82 accessions of 27 commonly seeded grasses, forbs and shrubs (native and introduced) in a demonstration planting at the Orchard Research Site near Boise, ID.

Plant releases: • Astragalus filipes (basalt milkvetch) NBR-1 Selected germplasm (12 pooled NV, OR, ID, UT, and CA accessions, manipulated track). This germplasm is recommended for use in stabilizing degraded rangelands, revegetation of disturbed areas, and beautifying roadsides in the Northern Basin and Range. Seed fields will be established in Oregon and Utah in 2008. Molecular genetics studies to better understand diversity in a species: • Genetic variation in 180 populations of 35 grass, forb and shrub species has been examined to explore between and within population variation. This information will improve manager’s ability to select plant materials for maintaining the natural variation and genetic integrity of seeded areas. •

Comparison of the genetic architecture of seeded populations with that of adjacent native populations indicates that many of the seeded populations lie within the natural range of variation of native populations.

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Artificial hybridization experiments indicate that the nonnative Linum perenne ‘Appar’ (blue flax) is not likely to hybridize with the native Linum lewisii (Lewis flax).

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Molecular genetic analysis of 81 accessions of Astragalus filipes suggests two distinct groupings (central Nevada and British Columbia) and one ‘catchall’ population that includes 69 accessions.

Seed increase: • New initial increase plots/fields: Heliomeris multiflora (showy goldeneye), Agoseris grandiflora (bigflower agoseris), A. heterophylla, Townsendia florifer (showy Townsend daisy), Chaenactis douglasii (Douglas’ dustymaiden), Eriogonum sphaerocephalum (rock buckwheat). •

Distribution of new materials to seed growers: Astragalus filipes (pooled sources, Northern Basin and Range), Ephedra viridis (green ephedra), Heliomeris multiflora, Penstemon deustus (scabland penstemon) (pooled sources – northern Basin and Range), P. speciosus (royal penstemon) (pooled sources, Northern Basin and Range), Leymus cinereus (basin wildrye)(pooled sources, northern Great Basin), Balsamorhiza sagittata (arrowleaf balsamroot) (plugs).

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Seed increase fields of Balsamorhiza sagittata and Perideridia bolanderi (Bolander’s yampah) are planned for 2008. Seven increase plots are being maintained at the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center.

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573 lbs of stock seed were distributed to growers by the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, the Utah Crop Improvement Association and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Great Basin Research Center.

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The Utah Crop Improvement Association Buy-back program continues to facilitate establishment of initial seed fields for GBNPSIP plant materials.

Cultural practices for agricultural seed production: Pollinators: • Lomatium dissectum (fernleaf biscuitroot) was shown to be fully self-fertile but requires pollinators. Across a 5-state region, these consist solely of small ground-nesting floral specialists and sometimes floral generalists, only the latter likely to be available on-farm. •

Generalist foragers (hummingbirds, honey bees and bumblebees) will forage somewhat indiscriminately between similar-looking flowers of a given genus. Observations now indicate that hybridization of a genus of closely-related interfertile species, the Balsamorhiza (balsamroots), is as likely to result during the foraging trips of specialist as generalist bees. Consequently, using specialist pollinators will not avoid the problem of hybridization in seed fields.

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Nesting habitats of the most frequent and promising group of pollinators found visiting flowers of GBNPSIP Great Basin forbs, bees of the genus Osmia, were compiled and reviewed, highlighting species whose cavity-nesting habits make them amenable to on-farm management.

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Species of four Osmia bee species and one Hoplitis bee that effectively pollinate Hedysarum boreale (northern sweetvetch) and Astragalus filipes have been acquired from the wild and are being propagated at the USDA ARS Logan labs for evaluation and later distribution to seed growers, possibly in 2008.

Seed/plant predators: • The Native Plant Seed Production web site is now on-line at http://wci.colostate.edu. This site has current information on life history and control of insect pests affecting seed production of plants grown for the GBNPSIP. •

The Sphaeralcea weevil Anthonomus sphaeralciae Fall was found attacking globemallows at two sites. Losses exceeded 33% at one of the sites. Management studies were initiated and current information is posted on the Native Plant Seed Production web site.

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A study on seed losses to invertebrate seed predators found that three forbs of the Asteraceae (Wyethia amplexicaulis [mule-ears], Crepis acuminata, and Agoseris glauca) have a consistent and high degree of seed pest damage in wildland settings. These results forewarn future seed producers of the need to implement Integrated Pest Management Plans (IPMP).

Planting practices: • Planting trials indicate 12-inch spacing is preferable to 18-inch spacing for seed production of Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia (gooseberryleaf globemallow) and S. parvifolia (smallflower globemallow). •

Seeds of native forbs (Balsamorhiza sagittata, Crepis intermedia and Perideridia bolanderi) were planted at several depths to determine optimal planting depths for each in sandy or clay soils. Most emerged best from shallow depths (generally