New Release of Opportunity Germplasm Nevada Bluegrass

Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass was released, as a selected seed class, by the Bridger Plant Materials Center in the summer of 2007. The release was made in cooperation with the Deer Lodge Valley Conservation District, the Montana Agricultural Experiment Stations at Montana State University-Bozeman, and the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station at University of Wyoming-Laramie. A brochure is being developed and should be available by the fall of 2008.

Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass is a selection from the Development of Acid/Heavy Metal Tolerant Releases (DATR) Project. The DATR Project operates under a state-funded grant, with the purpose of testing and selecting superior plant materials growing in heavy-metal contaminated soils on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clark Fork Superfund Site at Butte and Anaconda.

Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass showed exceptional survival, growth, and vigor over other bluegrass species in study plots located on Stucky Ridge adjacent to the Moto-X area, just north of Anaconda. Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass produced 44 pounds of foundation-grade seed in 2006 and 33 pounds in 2007. The seed is now available for certified seed growers. Opportunity Germplasm Nevada bluegrass will be included in irrigated forage trials and in a multi-PMC evaluation planting in 2009.

By Shannon Majerus, DATR Project Leader.

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Last Modified: 01/25/2008