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Procedure for Vegetative Collections of Herbaceous Plant Materials

Plant Materials Technical Note Number MT-28

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Plant Materials Technical Note Number MT-28 (PDF; 62 KB)

May 1981.
By Larry Holzworth, NRCS Plant Materials Specialist.

  1. Collect dormant (drought or winter) plant materials, if possible.
  2. Locate representative stands occurring with some abundance.
  3. Collect samples from superior individuals within a stand of the desired species.
  4. Collect colonal and/or total clump material from an area totaling at least 3 square feet (sod) or 10 clumps (bunch). Collect 1 square foot sod or one-half bunch from several locations to avoid plant damage and allow rapid disturbance closure.
  5. Excavate plant roots to a depth that insures adequate root mass for transplanting or cloning.
  6. Shake bulk of soil from root mass, but leave a soil layer covering individual roots. Remove all other foreign matter, such as dead stems, trash, and so forth (for dormant grasses, soil can be washed from roots prior to packaging as long as they are kept moist).
  7. To limit the mass of material, clip herbage to an 8 inch stubble height, if appropriate.
  8. Obtain pieces of burlap, paper towels, sphagnum moss, or other absorptive materials.
  9. Soak in water and squeeze out all free water.
  10. Place damp material around the entire specimen, especially the roots.
  11. Package in plastic bags and seal, removing as much air as possible.
  12. Place in an adequate-sized, but compact container.
  13. Mail immediately to the Bridger Plant Materials Center.
    USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center
    98 South River Road
    Bridger, Montana 59014
  14. Mail early in week to avoid weekend Post Office layover.
  15. If collection is made too late in the week to mail, store in cool (refrigerator, if possible), dry location, and ship early the following week.

NOTE: Once excavated, the entire procedure has to be carried out in a timely manner to avoid specimen desiccation.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Jim Jacobs, Plant Materials Specialist
Phone: (406) 587-6995
Email: Jim.Jacobs

Ronald Nadwornick, State Resource Conservationist
Phone: (406) 587-6998
Email: Ron.Nadwornick

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Last Modified: 08/19/2008