A Call for Field Plantings

The Plant Materials (PM) Program depends on landowner participation to field-test new selections of grasses, forbs, and woody plants. This happens by working with local conservation districts and NRCS field offices that are routinely in contact with local cooperators who show interest in looking at new plants and technologies. The unique relationship allows us to field-test new plant materials in a “real world” setting on farms and ranches in Montana and Wyoming.

The PM program has 11 grasses, two forbs, three shrubs, and three trees in need of field testing in Montana and Wyoming. The grasses include ‘Rush’ intermediate wheatgrass Thinopyrum intermedium, ‘NewHy’ hybrid wheatgrass Elymus hoffmannii, ‘Goldar’ bluebunch wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata ssp. spicata, ‘Bannock’ thickspike wheatgrass Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus, switchgrass Panicum virgatum (9005439), Foothills Germplasm Canada bluegrass Poa compressa, High Plains Germplasm Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda (formerly P. sandbergii), Garnet Germplasm mountain brome Bromus marginatus, Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass Poa secunda (formerly P. nevadensis), Copperhead Germplasm slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus ssp. trachycaulus, and Spirit Germplasm Hierochloe odorata. The two forb species are Great Northern Germplasm western yarrow Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis and Stillwater Germplasm prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera. The shrubs are Open Range Germplasm winterfat Krascheninnikovia lanata (very limited supply), Prospectors Germplasm common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus and Trapper Germplasm western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis. The trees include Hunter Germplasm ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa, Bridger Select Germplasm Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum, and Ekalaka Germplasm (release pending) bur oak Quercus macrocarpa.

The seven grass germplasms, plus the forbs, shrubs, and trees, are the newest plant materials identified to help solve the resource concerns listed in the Bridger PM long-range plan. Additional information on these plants can be found on the Montana NRCS home page under plant materials, then MT Supplement to National PM Program, then Long-range Plan for Field Plantings. The information can also be found under plants, on the Wyoming NRCS home page.

The 2008 list of seed availability for field plantings can be accessed via the Montana NRCS website at the abovementioned location. Montana applicants must submit requests on the form, MT-ECS-9 Field Planting Plan, which can also be accessed on the Montana NRCS website, under plants, then plant materials forms. Applications are due to Jim Jacobs no later than February 15, 2008. The Montana State Plant Materials Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled to occur jointly with the Montana State and Area Technology group sometime in May.

In Wyoming, the 2008 list of seed availability for field plantings can be accessed via the Wyoming NRCS website at the abovementioned location. Wyoming applicants will need to submit requests on the form, WY-ECS-54 Field Planting Plan, which also can be accessed on the Wyoming NRCS website, under government forms, then Wyoming ECS forms. Also complete and attach the form, WY-ECS-25 Seeding Application/As-built Spreadsheet. Applications are due to Jim Jacobs by February 15, 2008. The Wyoming State Plant Materials Committee will review requests in mid-March.

By Jim Jacobs, Plant Materials Specialist.

< Back to Plant Materials Today, January 2008 Issue

Last Modified: 01/25/2008