Aberdeen Plant Materials Center United States Department of Agriculture 2014 Annual Technical Report Natural Resources Conservation Service Aberdeen, Idaho March 2015 Contents Introduction On-Center Studies Foundation Seed Production 2014 Field Annual Plan of Operations Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project – 2013 Annual Report Grand Teton National Park Grass Seed Production – 2013 Report Yellowstone National Park Grass Seed Production – 2013 Report Pollinator Demonstration Planting, Field 28 – 2014 Progress Report Wildflower Seed Mixture Evaluation – 2014 Progress Report Comparative Evaluation Basin wildrye and Thickspike wheatgrass – 2014 Progress Report 2014 Cover Crop Demonstration Legume Cover Crop Winter Kill Evaluation Nevada Bluegrass Initial Evaluation Planting - 2014 Final Report Evaluation of Cover Crop Species for Wind Erosion Protection Influence of Planting Date on Forage Radish in Southeast Idaho Corn/Cover Crop Interseeding Trial Off-Center Studies Curlew National Grassland Off-Center Evaluation – 2014 Progress Report Challis Demonstration Planting Summary (1980-2013) Seeding Rate Evaluation for Low Precipitation Sites Plant Materials Publications The following documents were developed and reported in FY 2013. In order to condense the Annual Technical Report, these documents are not included but are available online: Technical Notes http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/tech_ref.html#TechNotes Plant Guides http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/tech_ref.html#PlantGuides Release Brochures http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/tech_ref.html#Brochures Other documents http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/idpmc/publications.html Year 2013 Aberdeen Plant Materials Center Progress Report of Activities Intermountain Plant Notes newsletter (2014) Technical Note 57: Effects of Long-term Refrigerated Storage on Hardwood Willow Cuttings Technical Note 62: Challis, Idaho Demonstration Plantings Summary: 1980-2013 Technical Note 63: Evaluation of Perennial Grasses Used in Cross Wind Trap Strips in Eastern Idaho TN 65: Planning and Implementing a Seeding in Sage-Grouse Country Plant Guides – Palmer’s penstemon, thickleaf penstemon, Rydberg’s penstemon, meadow deathcamas, purple three-awn, shadscale saltbush, plains prickly pear, leafy spurge, Rocky Mountain penstemon, Dahurian wildrye Release Brochures – ‘Rush’ Intermediate wheatgrass Other Documents Idaho Specifications 342 Critical Area Planting Idaho Practice Standard 342 Critical Area Planting Hedgerow Planting How Does a Soil Function INTRODUCTION The Plant Materials Center at Aberdeen is part of a national plant materials program operated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. The purpose of the Plant Materials Center is to develop and communicate new technology for the use and management of plants to solve natural resource concerns. We also assemble, evaluate and release plant materials for conservation use and develop new techniques for establishment of conservation plants. The Aberdeen Plant Materials Center was established in 1939 and currently maintains 14 cultivars and 4 pre-variety (Selected Class) releases. The Aberdeen Plant Materials Center serves portions of Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Wyoming and Idaho. This document is a compilation of progress reports for activities by the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center during FY 2014. The following presentations were developed during FY 2014 and may be obtained by contacting the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center: Title: Establishing plants for weed suppression Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Shoshone, Idaho Description: Discussed selection and establishment of plant materials for reducing weed pressure. Wood River SCD weed workshop. Date presented: 2/14/2014 Title: NRCS policy on T&E species Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Boise, Idaho Description: Presented NRCS policy and PM resources to Idaho Rare Plant Committee. Date presented: 2/27/2014 Title: Update of PMC activities for GBNPP Presenter: D. TIlley Location: Boise, Idaho Description: Presented PMC work for Great Basin native plant project. Date presented: 3/18/2014 Title: Developing seed mixes for sage-grouse habitat Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Aberdeen, Idaho (webinar) Description: Webinar developed for SGI staff Date presented: 4/16/2014 Title: Species selection and mix calculations for sage-grouse habitat Presenter: D. Tilley, B. Brazee Location: Twin Falls, Idaho Description: Went over species appropriate for sage grouse habitat restoration and did classroom exercise developing seed mixes. Date presented: 5/8/2014 Title: 5th grade soil health field day Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Aberdeen, Idaho Description: 5th grade tour sponsored by SBSCD for 3 classes from Aberdeen Elementary. Taught soil health and conservation practices. Date presented: 5/22/2014 Title: American Falls Soil Health Demonstration Presenter: D. Tilley Description: 5th grade tour sponsored by SBSCD for classes from American Falls Elementary. Taught soil health and conservation practices. Date presented: 5/22/2014 Title: Plant Materials Committee meeting update Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Aberdeen, Idaho Description: Update on PMC/PMS activities givien to ID PM committee. Date presented: 6/10/2014 Title: Soil health and cover crop tour Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Aberdeen, Idaho Description: Gave soil health presentation and toured cover crop related plantings. Date presented: 6/12/2014 Title: Pollinator plantings Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Bellevue, Idaho Description: Toured Silver Spring Ranch with OSU entemology class. Discussed site preparation and installation of pollinator plantings. Date presented: 7/2/2014 Title: Soil health demonstration for Aberdeen District Library Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Aberdeen, Idaho Description: Gave soil health presentation and demonstration to youth. Date presented: 7/17/2014 Title: Plant materials for fire breaks Presenter: D. Tilley Location: Aberdeen, Idaho Description: Toured plots of Russian wildrye and forage kochia. Visited Coffee Point off-center site. Date presented: 9/3/2014 Copies of this document may be reproduced as needed. Please credit the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center when running a reprint. Some of the data is preliminary, and has not been confirmed through additional research. Therefore, if publishing data from this report, please contact the Team Leader at the Plant Materials Center. Note: Trade names are used solely to provide specific information and should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex (including gender identity and expression), marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to: USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410. Or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. FOUNDATION SEED PRODUCTION AT ABERDEEN PLANT MATERIALS CENTER A major responsibility of the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center is the production of Foundation quality seed of the plant releases from the Center. Foundation seed is made available to the University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station, Idaho Crop Improvement Association, Utah Crop Improvement Association, other plant materials centers and cooperating agencies. Seed is distributed as provided for by allocation and exchange or other written agreements. Foundation seed of recent releases may also be provided to soil conservation districts for registered or certified seed production under the District Seed Increase (DSI) program. The following table illustrates seed shipments from the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center for Fiscal year 2006 through 2014: TOTAL Cultivar 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 POUNDS POUNDS PLS Anatone bluebunch wheatgrass 350 400 775 450 155 125 80 640 150 3125 Appar blue flax 955 150 150 200 120 175 150 200 175 2275 Bannock thickspike wheatgrass 900 240 150 0 0 100 850 1369 200 3809 Delar small burnet 490 100 1225 0 0 300 0 1200 200 3515 Ephraim crested wheatgrass 1300 300 500 605 0 0 300 350 0 3355 Goldar bluebunch wheatgrass 170 250 450 300 250 100 400 200 150 2270 Magnar basin wildrye 0 490 50 0 50 0 150 225 0 965 Maple Grove lewis flax 70 - - - 0 0 65 15 20 170 Nezpar Indian ricegrass 500 700 150 100 0 0 200 200 0 1850 P-27 Siberian wheatgrass 1/ 0 200 200 0 - - - - 0 400 Clearwater selection penstemon 0 0 0 1 4 20 0 25 0 50 Richfield selection penstemon 25 6 4 11 9 5 10 5 0 75 Paiute orchardgrass 75 200 50 300 0 0 0 0 0 625 Recovery western wheatgrass - - - 400 0 450 425 950 200 2425 Regar meadow brome 650 50 400 0 50 100 100 100 0 1450 Rush intermediate wheatgrass 300 500 0 0 0 0 50