Evaluation of Swamp Sunflower Accessions of the Western Coastal Plain Melinda Brakie

May 2020 FINAL STUDY REPORT USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center Nacogdoches, Texas

Evaluation of Swamp sunflower Accessions of the Western Coastal Plain Melinda Brakie

ABSTRACT Swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius L.) or narrow leaf sunflower is a native warm season perennial prevalent in longleaf pine habitat. Swamp sunflower blooms in late summer to fall and is used by migrating Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) and other pollinators. The study objective was to develop a swamp sunflower composite for pollinator and wildlife habitat in East Texas and western Louisiana in the Western Coastal Plain region. The study was conducted from March 2017 to November 2019 at the USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center near Nacogdoches, Texas. Thirty-one collections (accessions) from east Texas were tested for seed germination and evaluated for seedling vigor in the greenhouse and shadehouse. Accessions exhibiting poor seedling vigor were eliminated from the evaluation. Twenty-two accessions were transplanted to field evaluation in June 2017. Accessions were evaluated for insect and disease resistance, mature plant height, leaf width, reproductive stem number, bloom dates and survival in spring and fall. Survival, percent seed germination, and reproductive stem number were used to select eleven accessions for a composite release in 2021. Selected accessions crossed and set seed in the study plot while nonselected accessions were clipped regularly to minimize bloom and seed set in summer and fall 2019. Seed of selected accessions was harvested and combined proportionately in a composite seed mix in winter 2019. The seed mix was used to start transplants in the greenhouse to establish a seed increase field in spring 2020.

INTRODUCTION Swamp sunflower is a native, warm season perennial understory forb found in the longleaf pine bluestem range of the southeastern US (Grelen and Duvall, 1966). This plant along with grassleaf goldaster (Heterotheca graminifolia) are the two most frequently occurring composites in Louisiana longleaf pine sites (Haywood and Harris, 1999). Swamp sunflower grows in low, open flatwoods, moist sites and upland range sites on sandy loam and clay loam soils (Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, 2017). Wildlife and pollinators use swamp sunflower year-round. Whitetail deer browse the foliage, which contains 10% or more crude protein in full leaf stage, during summer (Grelen and Hughes, 1984). Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis), Gorgone Checkerspot (C. gorgone), Bordered Patch (C. lacinia) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly caterpillars use swamp sunflower as a host (New Moon Nurseries, 2017). Southern migrating Monarch butterflies use this forb as a fall nectar source when passing through longleaf pine habitat of southern Louisiana and East Texas (USDA NRCS, 2015 and Texas A&M Forestry, 2017). Quail and dove utilize the seeds as a winter food source (Grelen and Hughes, 1984). Swamp sunflower was chosen for evaluation because of its importance to wildlife and pollinators and wide distribution throughout pine forests. The study

Melinda Brakie, Soil Conservationist, East Texas Plant Materials Center, 6598 FM 2782, Nacogdoches, Texas 75943. Phone: (936) 564-4783 objective was to develop a composite of best performing swamp sunflower accessions for future release for wildlife and conservation plantings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS The initial study evaluation was conducted from March 2017 to November 2019 at the East Texas Plant Materials Center (ETPMC). The study included germination testing, seedling emergence ratings, and field evaluations. Thirty-one swamp sunflower accessions were collected by NRCS USDA and US Forest Service personnel from native stands in East Texas (Table 1). One accession with immature seed was eliminated from evaluation.

Table 1. East Texas Plant Materials Center swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) assembly accession numbers and county of origin for initial evaluation. USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, Texas. Accession County of Accession County of Accession County of number origin number origin number origin 9094901 Hardin 9095068 Angelina 9095078 Angelina 9094902 Hardin 9095069 Sabine 9095079 Angelina 9094904 1/ Jasper 9095070 Angelina 9095080 Angelina 9094940 Nacogdoches 9095071 Angelina 9095081 Sabine 9095007 2/ Polk 9095072 Jasper 9095082 Jasper 9095029 Houston 9095073 Sabine 9095083 Sabine 9095030 Houston 9095074 Angelina 9095084 Jasper 9095060 2/ Hardin 9095075 Angelina 9095085 Sabine 9095066 Angelina 9095076 Sabine 9095086 Angelina 9095067 Angelina 9095077 2/ Angelina 9095087 Jasper 9095088 2/ Not known 1/=eliminated from evaluation due to immature seed, 2/=not tested for seed germination.

Twenty-six accessions were tested for germination beginning on 27 March 2017. Four replications of fifty untreated seeds were used per accession. The seeds were placed between two layers of moistened white blotter paper (Anchor Paper Company, Saint Paul, MN) in a clear square plastic boxes. The boxes were placed in a SG30 controlled environment chamber (Hoffman Manufacturing Co., Albany, OR) set at alternating temperatures of 30°/20°C (86°/68°F) and 8 hours light (AOSA, 2007). Germination counts were conducted at 3, 7, and 14 days. Germinated seedlings with a radicle and plumule were counted and removed from the boxes. Total germination of each replication was multiplied by two to calculate percent germination then the four replications/accession were averaged to determine mean percent seed germination at 14 days. Seeds of thirty accessions were planted into Hiko HV93 transplant trays (Stuewe and Sons, Inc., Tangent, OR) containing a mixture of Pro-mix BX media (Premier Tech Horticulture, Quakertown, PA) and fine sand on 8 March 2017. The trays were placed in the greenhouse and watered as needed to encourage seedling emergence. Accession seedling vigor was visually rated thirty days after seeding using a scale of 1=excellent, 3=good, 5=fair/average, and 7=poor. Transplant trays were moved to the shade house to harden off for three weeks before transplanting to the field. Transplant vigor was visually rated three days before field planting, and the eight lowest rating accessions were eliminated from the study (Table 4).

Twenty-two accessions were transplanted into a Woden fine sandy loam soil on 2 June 2017 at the ETPMC. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Each plot consisted of 10 plants on 2-foot centers. Transplants were watered as needed in the first year of establishment. Transplant survival was recorded 30 days after planting (DAP), 60 DAP, and end of the growing season in 2017. Spring and fall plant survival were recorded in 2018 and spring survival in 2019. Transplant vigor was visually rated 60 DAP using a scale of 1 to 9 where 1=excellent and 9=very poor/dead. Bloom date for each accession was recorded when at least 50% of the plants in a replication were in open bloom in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Beginning or first bloom and peak bloom dates were recorded in 2018 and 2019. Disease resistance, insect resistance, and plant vigor were visually rated based on a scale of 1 to 7 where 1=excellent and 7=poor and recorded at 50% bloom date in 2017 and 2018. Plant height, number of reproductive stems, leaf width, and plant lodging score were measured from three plants chosen at random from each plot at 50% bloom in 2017 and 2018. Plant height was measured in inches from ground level to top of the tallest inflorescence. Number of reproductive stems was a direct count. Three leaves per plant were chosen at random and the width of each leaf measured in millimeters with digital calipers. Plant lodging was based on a visual scale of: 1=majority of plants reproductive stems are upright or about 90º angle; 3=majority of plant reproductive stems are about 45° angle; 5=majority of plants reproductive stems are less than 45° angle. Study data for percent germination, 30 and 60 DAP transplant survival and vigor, number of reproductive stems, leaf width, stem lodging, mature plant height, disease and insect resistance, and spring and fall plant survival was analyzed in Statistix10 (Analytical Software, Tallahassee, FL) using mean and standard deviation to determine variation among swamp sunflower accessions. Eleven accessions were chosen for future release as a composite of the best performing accessions from the study. Selected accessions bloomed and produced seed while blooms of undesirable accessions were clipped regularly to prevent pollination in 2019. Seed of selected accessions was collected and cleaned in fall 2019. The same number of seed from each accession were counted and combined to form a composite mix (Fehr, 1987) for transplant production and eventual large-scale seed increase. In February 2020, Hiko V93 seeding trays (Stuewe and Sons, Tangent, OR) were filled with a mix of fine sand and Pro-Mix BX (Premier Tech Horticulture, Quakertown, PA) and about six seeds planted per tray cell. The trays were placed in the greenhouse and watered as needed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Seed Germination Tests The untreated swamp sunflower seeds germinated quickly as twenty-two of twenty-six accessions had 25% or greater germination at 7 days. This result contrasts with Nichols (1934) who observed New Jersey collections took 64 days to germinate without stratification. Mean seed germination varied from 89% for accession 9095083 to 0.5% for accession 9094901. Five accessions (9095083, 9095084, 9095073, 9095072, and 9095076) had 80% or greater mean germination (Tables 3 and 4).

Seedling Vigor in Greenhouse and Shadehouse Accessions were not replicated in the greenhouse or shadehouse. Greenhouse and shadehouse seedling vigor ratings were visually ranked on a scale where 1=excellent to 7=poor. Greenhouse ratings varied from 1 to 7 with a mean of 5 (Table 4). Accessions 9095073 and 9095069 received excellent ratings while four accessions were rated at good and the rest received average or poor ratings. Seedling vigor ratings for the shadehouse also ranged from 1 to 7 with a mean of 3 (Table 4). Ten accessions received excellent vigor ratings and eight received good vigor ratings. Six accessions received poor ratings and were eliminated from evaluation.

Field Evaluation Temperature data for the study was recorded from A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional Airport 5.8 miles northeast of the ETPMC. Table 2 shows monthly average high and low temperatures and precipitation. The average high temperature is 77° F and average low 54° F for Nacogdoches, Texas (US climate data.com, 2020). The average high and low temperatures during the study were warmer in 2017 but near normal in 2018 and 2019. Monthly precipitation was recorded at A.L. Mangham Jr Regional Airport from June 2017 to April 2018 and an onsite weather station at the ETPMC from May 2018 to November 2019. Average rainfall is 49.3 inches per year in Nacogdoches, Texas (US climate data.com, 2020). From June to December, average precipitation is 28.2 inches per year. Rainfall amounts were above average in 2017 and 2018 but below average in 2019. Table 2. Temperature and rainfall data during the swamp sunflower initial evaluation from June 2017 to November 2019 at the USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, Texas. Year Month Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Mean Total temp rainfall (in) 2017 High(F°) 1/ 1/ 1/ 1/ 1/ 88 92 86 87 80 73 59 81 Low(F°) 70 72 72 64 54 49 36 59 Precip. 2/ 5.7 7.2 11.0 1.9 4.5 2.6 2.8 35.7

2018 High(F°) 55 64 74 74 89 94 96 96 86 77 63 58 77 Low(F°) 30 47 51 48 65 73 73 71 71 59 41 39 56 Precip. 3/ 1.2 4.4 4.8 5.1 1.4 1.8 1.2 1.3 8.0 10.8 5.8 13.1 58.9

2019 High(F°) 58 62 67 76 85 88 92 95 94 75 65 4/ 78 Low(F°) 35 45 44 53 65 67 72 74 69 54 41 4/ 56 Precip. 3/ 3.9 3.0 1.3 6.1 7.4 5.1 1.1 1.0 4.1 4.9 0.8 4/ 38.7 1/=field study not begun, 2/=monthly precipitation totals from June 2017 to April 2018 are from A.L. Mangham Jr Airport, 3/=monthly precipitation totals from May 2018 to November 2019 are from onsite weather station at ETPMC, 4/=plants began dormancy.

Tables 4, 5, 6, and 7 at the end of this report give individual accession performance information for 2017, 2018, and 2019. There were no significant differences between accessions for disease and insect resistance in 2017 or 2018 (data not shown). Accessions 9094902, 9095029, and 9095073 received good vigor ratings of 3 at 60 DAP but were not significantly different from other accessions except 9095070 which received a poor rating in 2017 (Table 4). Accessions 9094902, 9095007, 9095073, and 9095085 received good vigor ratings at 50% bloom in 2017 but were only significantly different from 9095070 and 9095080 which received poor ratings (Table 5). There was no significant difference between accessions for vigor at 50% bloom in 2018 (data not shown).

Eleven accessions were selected after spring survival counts in 2019 and are presented in Table 3. Accession selection criteria was a combination of survival in spring 2019, percent seed germination of original seed collections, and reproductive stem number. Spring survival in 2019 was the most important selection criteria followed by seed germination and reproductive stem number. These criteria were used because each one directly affects plant establishment and persistence. Accessions 9095073, 9095083, 9094902, and 9095087 were above average for all three selection criteria. Accession 9095073 had the highest spring survival, accession 9095083 had the highest percent seed germination and accession 9094902 had the highest number of reproductive stems. Other selections were above or equal to study average in two criteria. Accessions 9095084, 9095085, and 9095076 were above average for survival and percent seed germination, and just below average in reproductive stem number. Accession 9095084 was second in percent germination and accession 9095085 was second in percent survival in the study. Accession 9095071 was above average for survival and reproductive stems and equal to average percent seed germination. Accession 9095074 was above average for survival and reproductive stems but below average for percent seed germination. Accession 9095066 was above study average for percent seed germination but slightly below average for percent survival and number of reproductive stems. The final selection, accession 9095029, was above average for survival and expands the potential adaptation of a future release westward.

Table 3. Selected swamp sunflower accessions by accession number, county of origin, percent seed germination in 2017, spring survival in 2019, mean number of reproductive stems in 2018, 2017 and 2018 averaged mature plant height, and 2017 and 2018 averaged leaf width. USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, Texas. Avg Seed Mean number plant Avg leaf Accession germination Spring reproductive height width Number County % 1/ survival 1/ stems 1/ (in) (mm) 9095073 Sabine 85 9.8 28 70 4.30 9094902 Hardin 72 9.3 47 55 4.85 9095085 Sabine 74 9.3 24 59 3.31 9095029 Houston 53 8.2 22 57 9.13 9095083 Sabine 89 8 34 55 3.69 9095076 Sabine 80 8 17 56 4.25 9095071 Angelina 69 8 32 52 4.47 9095084 Jasper 86 7.8 19 48 4.38 9095087 Jasper 73 7.8 41 54 3.73 9095074 Angelina 60 7.5 35 55 4.65 9095066 Angelina 74 7.2 23 50 4.39 Mean 74 8.3 29 56 4.65 Mean of all 69 7.3 26 55 4.54 Accessions 1/=criteria used for accession selection from initial evaluation.

Swamp sunflower accessions exhibited both long day and short-day photoperiodic flowering. Some plants in accessions 9095076, 9096073, 9095085, 9095087, and 9095007 began blooming in July or August when daylength was greater than twelve hours. These early plants completed flowering and seed set before other plants in their respective accessions or collection location. These early blooming plants exhibited a long day response of Texas Helianthus populations (Henry et al., 2014). Most accessions began blooming in mid-September into Figure 1. Part of replication 2 in swamp sunflower evaluation. October with cooler temperatures and less than twelve hours daylength. Helianthus species that flower during short day photoperiod most likely occur in the southeastern US (Henry et al., 2014). Fall flowering avoids hot, humid weather in these regions (Henry et al., 2014). Fifty percent bloom dates occurred consistently during the first two weeks of October in the study (Tables 5, 6, and 7). Peak bloom, or greater than 75%, was in the second, third or fourth week in October depending on accession (data not shown).

CONCLUSION Untreated swamp sunflower seeds readily germinated as nineteen of twenty-six accessions exhibited greater than 50% germination at 14 days. The accessions exhibited good disease and insect resistance and drought tolerance during the study. Since accession performance was similar for vigor and disease and insect resistance; spring survival in 2019, percent seed germination of original seed collections, and number of reproductive stems were used to select accessions for the composite release. Eleven best performing accessions were chosen for future release of swamp sunflower. A swamp sunflower release will be a beneficial addition to seed mixes for wildlife and pollinator habitat enhancement and longleaf pine understory restoration for the Western Coastal Plain region.

LITERATURE CITED AOSA. 2007. Rules for testing seeds. Association of Official Seed Analysts. Washington, DC. Fehr, W. 1987. Principles of cultivar development. Vol.1 Theory and technique. MacMillan Publishing Company. New York, NY. Grelen, H. and R. Hughes. 1984. Common herbaceous plants of southern forest range. Res. Paper SO-210. US Forest Service. Southern Forest Experiment Station. New Orleans, LA. Grelen, H. and V. Duvall. 1966. Common plants of the longleaf pine-bluestem range. Res. Paper SO-23. US Forest Service. Southern Forest Experiment Station. New Orleans, LA.

Haywood, J. and F. Harris. 1999. Description of vegetation in several periodically burned longleaf pine forests on the Kisatchie National Forest. Proceedings of the Tenth Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference. Shreveport, LA. February 18, 1999. Henry, L., R. Watson, and B. Blackman. 2014. Transitions in photoperiodic flowering are common and involve few loci in wild sunflowers (Helianthus: Asteraceae). Amer. J. of Botany 101(10): pgs. 1748-1758. Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. 2017. Helianthus angustifolius (swamp sunflower). Native Plant Database, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Austin, TX. New Moon Nurseries. 2017. Helianthus angustifolius. Accessed online: http://www.newmoonnursery.com

Nichols, G. 1934. The influence of exposure to winter temperatures upon seed germination in various native American plants. Ecology (15) 4: pgs. 364-373. Texas A&M Forest Service. 2017. Trees of Texas-longleaf pine. Accessed online 5/22/20: http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/TreeDetails/?id=77. US climate data. 2020. Average climate data for Nacogdoches, Texas. Accessed online 5/22/20: www.usclimatedata.com USDA NRCS. 2015. Monarch butterfly habitat development project. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Washington, DC.

Table 4. Accession number, origin, mean percent seed germination, seedling vigor ratings for greenhouse and shadehouse, mean transplant survival, and mean fall survival of swamp sunflower initial evaluation accessions in 2017. USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, Texas. Seedling vigor3/ 30 60 60 Accession Origin % Green Shade DAP DAP DAP Fall No. (County) Germination house4/ house4/ 7/2/175/ 8/2/175/ vigor4/ survival5/ 9094901 Hardin 0.5 7 7 6/ 9094902 Hardin 72 3 1 10.0 10.0 3 b 10.0 9094904 Jasper 1/ 9094940 Nacogdoches 5 7 7 6/ 9095007 Polk 2/ 5 1 9.2 9.2 4 ab 8.5 9095029 Houston 53 5 3 10.0 9.7 3 ab 9.2 9095030 Houston 4 5 1 6/ 9095060 Hardin 2/ 7 5 6/ 9095066 Angelina 74 3 1 9.5 9.2 5 ab 8.2 9095067 Angelina 30 5 3 7.2 7.0 5 ab 6.5 9095068 Angelina 74 5 1 8.2 8.0 5 ab 7.5 9095069 Sabine 59 1 1 10.0 10.0 4 ab 10.0 9095070 Angelina 70 5 3 3.7 3.7 7 a 3.7 9095071 Angelina 69 3 1 9.0 9.0 5 ab 8.7 9095072 Jasper 80 5 3 10.0 10.0 5 ab 9.0 9095073 Sabine 85 1 1 10.0 10.0 3 b 10.0 9095074 Angelina 60 5 3 9.0 8.0 5 ab 7.7 9095075 Angelina 67 7 7 6/ 9095076 Sabine 80 5 3 8.7 8.7 4 ab 8.5 9095077 Angelina 2/ 7 7 6/ 9095078 Angelina 51 7 7 6/ 9095079 Angelina 70 7 5 6.5 6.0 5 ab 6.0 9095080 Angelina 59 7 3 3.7 3.5 7 ab 3.5 9095081 Sabine 78 5 3 8.2 7.5 5 ab 7.7 9095082 Jasper 60 7 7 6/ 9095083 Sabine 89 5 5 8.0 8.2 5 ab 8.2 9095084 Jasper 86 5 5 7.2 6.5 5 ab 7.0 9095085 Sabine 74 3 1 10.0 10.0 4 ab 10.0 9095086 Angelina 48 5 1 9.5 9.5 5 ab 9.5 9095087 Jasper 73 5 1 9.7 9.7 5 ab 9.7 9095088 Not known 2/ 7 5 6/ Mean 60 5 3 8.5 8.3 5 8.1 SD7/ 26 2.5 2.6 2 2.5 1/= immature seed, 2/=not enough seed for testing and seedling production, 3/=ratings based on nonreplicated accessions, 4/=subjective rating based on scale of: 1 to 7 where 1=excellent and 7=poor, 5/=10 is equal to 100% survival, 6/=dropped from evaluation due to poor seedling vigor or percent germination, 7/=standard deviation.

Table 5. Swamp sunflower initial evaluation accession mean mature plant height, leaf width, reproductive stem number, stem lodging rating, and 50% bloom date in 2017. USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, Texas.

Mature Leaf Vigor at Accession plant ht. width Reproductive Stem 50% 50% No. (in.)1/ (mm) stem number lodging2/ bloom date bloom3/ 9094902 52 4.86 3 2.6 10/10 3 9095007 54 6.04 2 2.5 10/4 3 9095029 51 9.97 2 1.1 10/10 5 9095066 41 4.79 2 2.5 10/13 5 9095067 43 4.69 3 2.8 10/10 5 9096068 45 4.46 3 2.8 10/10 5 9095069 58 4.15 3 1.6 10/10 5 9095070 34 4.99 3 2.5 10/10 7 9095071 48 4.45 3 1.8 10/10 4 9095072 43 4.26 4 1.5 10/10 5 9095073 66 4.60 4 1.6 10/10 3 9095074 38 5.00 3 2.3 10/10 5 9095076 49 4.89 4 1.8 10/10 4 9095079 44 4.01 3 1.5 10/12 5 9095080 38 5.38 3 2.0 10/14 7 9095081 49 4.45 3 2.6 10/10 5 9095083 44 3.81 4 2.3 10/10 5 9095084 40 4.22 2 1.6 10/10 5 9095085 55 3.19 2 2.0 10/10 3 9095086 48 4.81 3 2.0 10/10 5 9095087 44 4.06 3 2.3 10/6 4 Mean 48 5.0 3 2.0 4.7 SD4/ 12 2.0 2 1.3 1.1 1=height measured from ground level to top of tallest inflorescence, 2/=Lodging score was based on a scale of 1=majority of stems are upright (~90°), 3=majority of stems are ~45°, or 5=majority of stems are less than 45°, 3/=based on subjective visual rating using a scale of 1=excellent to 9= very poor, 4/=standard deviation.

Table 6. Swamp sunflower initial evaluation accession number, mean spring survival, mature plant height, leaf width, reproductive stem number, stem lodging rating, 50% bloom date, and fall survival in 2018. USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, Texas. Mature Leaf Stem 50% Accession Spring plant ht. width Reproductive lodging Bloom Fall No. survival1/ (in)2/ (mm) stem number 3/ date survival1/ 9094902 10.0 59 4.84 47 2.6 10/8 10.0 9095007 9.2 74 4.37 35 2.0 10/3 8.0 9095029 9.5 64 8.28 22 1.0 10/6 9.5 9095066 8.7 59 4.00 23 1.5 10/10 8.2 9095067 6.5 61 4.48 23 1.5 10/8 5.2 9095068 8.2 54 3.53 23 2.5 10/8 8.7 9095069 10.0 69 3.96 15 2.6 10/8 8.5 9095070 4.0 57 4.44 21 2.2 10/8 4.5 9095071 9.0 57 4.44 32 1.6 10/10 9.0 9095072 10.0 69 3.52 28 1.3 10/5 9.7 9095073 10.0 74 3.99 28 2.2 10/9 10.0 9095074 8.0 72 4.36 35 1.8 10/7 8.0 9095076 8.5 63 3.62 17 2.3 10/9 8.2 9095079 6.2 58 3.94 21 2.2 10/10 6.5 9095080 4.0 51 4.72 17 1.3 10/10 5.5 9095081 8.0 69 3.64 19 2.5 10/10 5.7 9095083 8.5 66 3.56 34 2.2 10/10 7.5 9095084 7.0 56 4.54 19 1.3 10/7 7.5 9095085 10.0 62 3.44 24 2.6 10/12 9.7 9095086 9.5 60 4.50 25 1.3 10/7 9.0 9095087 9.7 64 3.39 41 1.2 10/7 9.5 Mean 8.3 63 4.5 26 1.9 8.0 SD4/ 2.5 14 1.7 17 1.1 2.1 1/= 10 is equal to 100% survival, 2/=measured from ground level to top of tallest inflorescence, 3/= Lodging score was based on a scale of 1=majority of stems are upright (~90°), 3=majority of stems are ~45° or 5=majority of stems are less than 45°, 4/=standard deviation.

Table 7. Swamp sunflower initial evaluation accession number, spring survival, and 50% bloom date in 2019. USDA NRCS East Texas Plant Materials Center, Nacogdoches, Texas. Accession number Spring survival1/ 50% bloom date 9094902 9.2 11 October 9095007 8.0 ------2/ 9095029 8.2 7 October 9095066 7.2 11 October 9095067 4.2 ------9095068 6.7 ------9095069 7.5 ------9095070 4.5 ------9095071 8.0 11 October 9095072 6.7 ------9095073 9.7 10 October 9095074 7.5 10 October 9095076 8.0 9 October 9095079 6.0 ------9095080 6.0 ------9095081 5.2 ------9095083 8.0 14 October 9095084 7.7 9 October 9095085 9.2 16 October 9095086 8.7 ------9095087 7.7 6 October Mean 7.3 SD 3/ 2.1 1/=10 equal to 100% survival, 2/=accession was not selected for composite release and was clipped to prevent blooming and pollination, 3/=standard deviation.

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