Conclusion/Discussion

Erosion control blanket reduced percentage germination and increased germinant mortality of some test species. For short-lived seeds, this may result in poor stand establishment and/or possible weed invasion. For long-lived or dormant seeds, deterioration of the erosion control blanket over time may merely delay germination, although the likelihood of weed invasion remains high.

The results indicate that reduced germination of some species can be offset by a subsequent high irradiance treatment. This suggests that removing erosion control blanket at the proper time, if practical, may result in additional germination of some species. The optimum timing of increased irradiance was not determined and will probably be species and environment specific. The increase in germinant contamination and mortality of some species in the Blanket and No Light treatments may reflect high relative humidity inside the Petri dishes that are unlikely in a field situation. Surface sterilization and/or seed treatment with fungicides prior to sowing should prevent this potential problem in the field.

It is important to note that these studies were conducted under laboratory conditions, and in-situ field testing is needed to determine whether any type of erosion control blanket results in a net loss or gain in germination. Increased soil and seed moisture content and retention, reduced soil erosion, decreased seed predation, and other factors may offset reductions in germination and early seedling survival resulting from the use of erosion control blanket.

In addition, it is likely that variation in the construction and performance of the various types of erosion control blanket will produce variable results. When using any erosion control blanket, consider these management techniques to improve stand establishment:

1. Determine the light requirements of each species when developing species mixes.
2. Use high quality seeds (certified if possible) with a current germination test.
3. Monitor stand establishment to determine seedling emergence and survival by species.
4. Increase seeding rates prior to blanket installation to compensate for potential reductions in germination and survival or follow-up poor germination and establishment with a secondary seeding.
5. Surface-sterilize and/or treat seeds prior to sowing with a broad spectrum fungicide.
6. Use erosion control blanket that provides adequate erosion protection and optimum light transmission.
   
   

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Last Modified: 11/15/2007