Plant Materials Program “The Plant Materials Program and its cooperators have contributed the bulk of the material and technology now used in ecosystem

restoration and are our foundation for meeting conservation challenges of the future.”

-- D.T. Booth and T.A. Jones, Native Plants Journal

Plant Releases and Conservation

Plants offer a natural solution for addressing many conservation 

challenges. From wildfire restoration and invasive species control 

to forage production, wildlife habitat, erosion prevention, nutrient 

filtering, stream bank protection and sources of biofuels, plants 

are a sustainable resource that help protect and heal our 

landscapes. 

What is a Plant Release? The USDA-NRCS Plant Materials 

Program, with its 27 plant materials centers (PMCs), cooperates 

with a variety of public and private conservation partners to 

collect, evaluate, select and release plants which are intended for 

commercial production to solve resource conservation problems. 

This testing helps insure that the plants grow under a variety of 

climates and soil types and will perform as needed. Very few 

NRCS plant releases have been genetically manipulated and many 

are now being selected to maximize genetic diversity. During 

testing, all NRCS plant collections are evaluated to insure that 

they are not weedy, invasive or harmful to the environment.

Why does the Plant Materials Program test plants? Evaluating plants to address local conservation 

needs also meets the needs of national and state conservation programs, including cost share initiatives. 

PMCs provide proven plants and supply foundation seed and plant technology to support these programs. 

The Program helps to ensure that farmers and ranchers are successful when planting selected mixes and 

that each species will perform under its specific soil, water and climate regimes. Untested plants have no 

guarantee that they will establish and maintain themselves to address the resource concern. 

What are common NRCS plant release types? NRCS release types are based primarily on known 

performance and adaptation, and the heritability of characteristics over several generations. A cultivar

could be as much a local ecotype as a source identified release. NRCS release types include:

Cultivar releases are plants that have specific heritable traits which are judged to be superior and perform 

well in many comparative trials throughout the area of recommended use. 

Tested releases have received less extensive comparative testing than cultivars but have been more 

thoroughly tested than selected releases in order to prove desired traits are heritable. 

Selected releases, the most common NRCS release, are plants which show promise of having desirable 

traits determined from comparative evaluations but have little provenance test data. 

Source Identified releases are indigenous ecotypes that are not scientifically evaluated and are only 

identified as to species and location of collection. 

Three Good Reasons to Release Plants:

• Plant releases provide a natural way to solve conservation problems and protect ecosystems. 

• Plant releases provide resource managers with proven and dependable plant characteristics such as 

increased forage and drought tolerance. 

• This effort provides plant materials and new technology for a number of national conservation initiatives, 

including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), 

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and other cooperative conservation programs.

Maple Grove Germplasm prairie flax 

(Linum lewisii) was released for 

erosion control, wildlife habitat and 

diversity in conservation plantings.
About Us

The USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program consists of a 

network of 27 Plant Materials Centers (PMCs) and Plant 

Materials Specialists located throughout the United State

For over 70 years, PMCs and Specialists have provided 

essential and effective plant solutions for critical habitats,

environmental concerns, management practices, and key 

farm and ranch programs.

For more information, visit: 

http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov 

s. 

Helping People Help the Land...

The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

August 2007

An Array of Plants 

For over 70 years, Plant Materials Centers and plant 

materials specialists nationwide have collected, 

evaluated, selected, tested and released more than 600 

conservation plants. These plants immediately address

the nation’s most critical resource issues. In any given 

year, enough seed is produced from the Program’s 

plant releases to plant 3.5 to 5 million acres. 

Where We Plant 

Plant Materials Program releases are planted on an 

array of sites—from flat grazing land to steep streambanks, and from coastal areas to alpine areas. They 

repair damage caused by wildfire, floods, noxious weeds invasion, drought, timber harvesting, and 

mining. They beautify highways and recreation areas, help agricultural producers filter water runoff, and 

assist ranchers in improving grazing production and wildlife habitat. Most of all, plants—no matter 

where they are planted—help prevent soil erosion. Saved soil means more productive land, cleaner water 

and air, and improved habitat for wildlife. Currently, Plant Materials Program releases are being 

evaluated as potential bioenergy sources. 

Distribution of Seed and Economic Impacts

After Plant Materials Centers distribute new releases to 

commercial nurseries and seed growers, large quantities of 

plants and seed are produced commercially for sale to 

landowners and land managers. Sales of this seed represent a 

significant economic value to growers, distributors, and 

retailers. In any year, seed sales average about $95 million. 

Changes and Trends in Plant Materials Program Releases

Traditionally, the program has focused attention on 

long-term cultivar selection of both native and 

introduced species. The current importance of 

delivering plants to commercial growers sooner, the 

desire for broader-based germplasm, and the need for 

more native materials have brought about significant 

changes in the program. Plant Materials Centers now 

focus their efforts almost entirely on native species and 

use pre-varietal releases (Tested and Selected release 

types) to get conservation plants to the end user sooner.

Tusas Germplasm bottlebrush squirreltail

(Elymus elymoides) is a release used for 

wildfire rehabilitation in the Southwest. 

‘Cave-In-Rock’ switchgrass (Panicum 

virgatum) is used for forage and 

conservation as well as for a biofuel.

Pelican Germplasm black mangrove (Avicennia 

germinans) is used to stabilize constructed barrier 

islands along the Gulf Coast.