Great Basin Native Plant 

Selection and Increase Project

FY03 Progress Report

USDI Bureau of Land Management (Nevada, Utah, Idaho)

USDA Forest Service, Shrub Sciences Laboratory

Provo, Utah and Boise, Idaho

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Ephraim, Utah

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research 

Laboratory, Logan, Utah

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bee Biology and Systematics

Laboratory, Logan, Utah

Utah Crop Improvement Association

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 

Idaho, Utah, and Nevada

Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
1

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project 

FY03 Progress Report 

Cooperators: 

USDI Bureau of Land Management (Nevada, Utah and Idaho) (BLM) 

USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory, 

Provo and Boise (SSL-P and SSL-B) 

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) 

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research Laboratory 

(ARS-FRRL) 

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory 

 (ARS-BBSL) 

Utah Crop Improvement Association (UCIA) 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (Idaho and Utah) (NRCS Aberdeen) 

Brigham Young University (BYU) 

 

Introduction 

The use of native plants for rehabilitation after wildfires and restoration of disturbed wildlands is 

being encouraged by various BLM programs, initiatives, and policies. Examples include the 

2001 Interior Appropriations Bill, the Great Basin Restoration Initiative, Departmental guidance 

(DOI Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation Manual), Executive Order 13112 (Invasive 

Species – 2/99) and the BLM’s Standards for Rangeland Health. This project integrates several 

proposals to increase native plant production and use within the Great Basin utilizing an applied 

science approach in a collaborative project. Original partners in this proposal include BLM 

(Utah, Idaho, and Nevada); USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub 

Sciences Laboratory (Provo, UT and Boise, ID); Utah Crop Improvement Association (Logan, 

UT); USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Research and Bee Biology and 

Systematics Laboratories (both Logan, UT); and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Great 

Basin Research Center (Ephraim, UT). Additional cooperators have been added to address 

specific research issues as needed. 

Project Priorities 

The proposal covers selection of native plant materials, culture, seed increase, and use on 

degraded rangelands. Priorities are: 1) Increase of native plant materials available for 

restoration; 2) management or re-establishment of seed sources and technology to improve the 

diversity of introduced species monocultures; 3) technology transfer; and 4) genetic research. 

The BLM representatives and cooperators recommend that a funding level for this proposal be 

identified and the BLM representatives, with input from the other cooperators, can develop 

priorities given the available funding. Studies and activities will be focused on maximizing the 

increase in native plant materials available for rehabilitation of burned rangelands and restoration 

of degraded rangelands in the Great Basin. 
2

Funding Strategy 

This effort requires sustained funding over a long period of time to be successful. To meet this 

need, the majority of the approved funds will be transferred to the USDA Forest Services’ Rocky 

Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory in Provo, Utah via an Interagency 

Agreement. Mike Pellant, Great Basin Restoration Initiative Coordinator, is the Contracting 

Officer’s Representative for this Interagency Agreement. The Shrub Sciences Laboratory has 

agreements with the other cooperators on this project and will distribute funding to these other 

entities per the Interagency Agreement and annual task orders. The Shrub Sciences Laboratory 

will assess a reasonable 12% indirect charge to be used internally administer this assistance 

agreement with BLM. Additional funding for BLM coordination of this project will be needed 

starting in FY02 to assist in state level coordination on the project. An estimated 20 WM’s per 

year will be required from FY 02-05 for BLM coordination in the states of Utah, Oregon and 

Nevada, however, these needs will be pursued by BLM outside of this agreement. 

 

Funding period: FY01– FY05

Funding received: 

FY01: $1,080,000 

FY02: 1,500,000 

FY03: 790,000 

NIFC-BLM (FY03): 250,000

TOTAL $3,620,000 
3

Table of Contents

Nancy Shaw Native plant material development and seed and seeding 

Scott Walker technology for native Great Basin forbs and grasses................1 

Scott Jensen 

Tyler Thompson 

Ann DeBolt 

Bruce Roundy Agronomic and cultural care of wildland plants......................9 

Val Jo Anderson 

Robert Johnson 

Durant McArthur Forb and shrub genetics research ....................................12 

Stewart Sanderson 

Thomas A. Jones Seed increases, genetic variation, and ecophysiological traits 

Steven R. Larson of native grasses.........................................................17 

Thomas A. Monaco 

Douglas A. Johnson 

Steven R. Larson Patterns of genetic variation in native grasses......................15 

Douglas Johnson 

James H. Cane Pollinator and seed predator studies.................................20 

Loren St. John Seed increase at NRCS Plant Materials Centers and by private 

Dan Ogle growers..................................................................23 

Ann DeBolt Seed increase through AOSCA state foundation seed 

Nancy Shaw managers and private growers.......................................25 

Greg Lowry 

Stanford Young Seed increase through the Buy-back Program with private 

 growers..................................................................27 

Appendix I. Cooperative Great Basin native forb research (Shaw 

 et al.)..............................................................29 

Appendix II. Populations collected for isoenzyme and molecular genetic 

 Analysis (McArthur and Sanderson).........................36 
4

Project Title: Native Plant Material Development and Seed and 

 Seeding Technology for Native Great Basin Forbs and 

 Grasses 

Project Location: USDA-FS-RMRS Shrub Sciences Laboratory, Provo, UT and 

Boise, ID; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Ephraim, UT 

Principal Investigators: Nancy Shaw, Scott Walker, Scott Jensen, Tyler Thompson, 

and Ann DeBolt 

Contact Information: Nancy Shaw, USDA-FS-RMRS, Shrub Sciences Laboratory- 

 Boise, 316 E. Myrtle, Boise, ID 83702, 208.373.4360, fax 

 208.373.4391, nshaw@fs.fed.us 

 

Scott Walker, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Great Basin 

Research Center, 542 North Main Street, Ephraim, UT 84627, 

435.283.4441, fax 435.283.5616, scottwalker@utah.gov 

Scott L Jensen, USDA-FS-RMRS Shrub Sciences Laboratory, 

735 N. 500 E., Provo, UT 84606-1865, 801.356.5128, cell 

801.319.5105, fax 801.375.6968, sjensen@fs.fed.us 

Tyler Thompson, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Great 

Basin Research Center, Ephraim, UT (Tyler transferred to a 

UDWR position in Cedar City in fall 2003. His position will be 

filled in April 2004) 

Ann DeBolt, USDA-FS-RMRS, Shrub Sciences Laboratory-Boise, 

316 E. Myrtle, Boise, ID 83702, 208.373.4366, fax 208.373.4391, 

adebolt@fs.fed.us 

Description of Project: To develop plant materials and seed and seeding technology for 15 

native forbs of the Great Basin (UDWR, SSL-P, SSL-B and cooperators. Boise work is partially 

funded by the USDA Forest Service, National Fire Plan). 

Provo Seed Collections: Identifying representative populations and seed collection of the 20 

identified species was the main emphasis of the program from 2000-2003. Drought conditions in 

2000-2002 resulted in less than ideal conditions for seed production and collection. Much of the 

Great Basin experienced some relief from the extended drought during 2003 resulting in good 

seed production for early maturing species. As the growing season progressed dry conditions 

resulted in poorer seed set for later maturing seed. We added 140 grass and forb collection in 

2003. This brings the total to 533 which include 224 grass collections and 295 forb collections. 

2003 marked the end of our major emphasis on field collections. The geographic distribution of 

several species is now well represented in seed collections. For a few species, additional 

collections will be needed in 2004 to bolster representation or seed volume. Databases have been 

created that include GPS, site description, and seed records for each site. 
5

Ephraim Seed Collections: Wildland seed collection continued this summer with mixed 

success. A wet spring allowed many of the early seeding species to be successfully collected 

while a dryer summer led to challenges for all remaining species. However, we were able to 

make 75 collections totaling about 400 lbs of unclean seed. Significantly larger collections of 

many species were made possible with the use of the reel type seed harvester purchased before 

the field season. 

Common Gardens: Trial plots of Great Basin wildrye and bluebunch wheatgrass were planted 

at the Orovada site in the fall 2003. Plugs of Tragopogon dubius, Astragalus utahensis and 

Phlox longifolia are presently growing for transplant at common garden sites in 2004. 

Germination Research: Work on germination trials and seed weights were initiated on all 

species. This work will continue in 2004.

Boise Seed Collections: We collected 180 seed lots of 22 native forb and grass species in 

southern Idaho, eastern Oregon, and northern Nevada. Seed production was generally better than 

in 2002 due to spring rains, but it was still poor for certain genera (Lupinus, Sphaeralcea, 

Eriogonum). Twelve of the 22 species were collected for research and nine were collected for 

distribution to growers for increase (table 1). Seed was distributed to species research leads 

accordingly (i.e. AGGL, TRDU to RMRS-Provo; all BASA, CRAC, EROV, SPGR to UDWR). 

RMRS-Boise research species and those for private growers were cleaned and tested; those for 

private growers were source identified. Additional collections will be added in 2004 with the 

focus on Lomatiums, Eriogonum umbellatum, and species required for the AOSCA program and 

Provo or Ephraim research. Where possible, larger collections will be made for research on 

cultural practices. 

Table 1. Summer 2003 seed collections, SSL-Boise. 

Scientific Name Common Name 

Number of Seed 

Collections Purpose 

Achillea millefolium Western yarrow 2 P 

Agoseris glauca Pale agoseris 1 R 

Balsamorhiza sagittata Arrowleaf balsamroot 17 R 

Balsamorhiza hookeri Hooker balsamroot 4 P 

Crepis acuminata Tapertip hawksbeard 26 R 

Crepis occidentalis Western hawksbeard 2 P 

Eriogonum heracleoides Wyeth buckwheat 1 P 

Eriogonum ovalifolium Oval-leaf buckwheat 7 R 

Eriogonum umbellatum Sulfur buckwheat 8 R 

Eriogonum microthecum Slenderbush buckwheat 1 P 

Eriogonum sp. Unk. Buckwheat 4 Tbd 

Lithospermum ruderale Stoneseed 1 P 

Lomatium dissectum Fernleaf biscuitroot 28 R 

Lomatium grayi Gray's biscuitroot 5 R 

Lomatium triternatum Nineleaf biscuitroot 13 R 

Penstemon acuminatus Sand penstemon 14 R 

Penstemon cyaneus Dark-blue penstemon 1 P 

Penstemon deustus Hotrock penstemon 22 R 

Penstemon speciosus Sagebrush penstemon 9 R 
6

Stipa comata Needle-and-thread grass 3 P 

Stipa thurberiana Thurber needlegrass 4 P 

Tragopogon dubius Salsify 7 R 

 Total 180 12 R; 9 P; 1 tbd 

R = Research; P = AOSCA project; tbd= to be determined 

Common Gardens: Common gardens were established for Penstemon acuminatus, P. deustus, 

and P. speciosus on irrigated sites in spring 2003. Growth and survival data were recorded in 

2003. Evaluations will continue in 2004. Data on flowering, seed production, 

herbivory/pollinator observations, diseases and plant growth will be recorded for the three 

penstemon species. Weekly sweep netting will be done during the growing season to provide 

insects for identification by Bob Hammon (Colorado State University). Pollinators will be sent to 

Jim Cane or other experts for determination. Four additional common garden sites in Idaho and 

Nevada were prepared for planting in spring 2004. Penstemon species will be spring planted and 

P. deustus and Lomatium species will be fall 2004 or spring 2005 planted. 

Germination Research: Germination studies for the Penstemon and Lomatium species are 

ongoing. All three Penstemon species (Penstemon acuminatus, P. deustus, and P. speciosus) are 

dormant at harvest and require moist prechilling for 8 to 12 weeks to relieve dormancy. The 

prechilling requirement for P. speciosus is reduced by liquid smoke treatment. Pretreatment with 

gibberellic acid (250 ppm) is as effective as greater concentrations for relieving dormancy of all 

three species with the species requiring the longest cold treatment (P. deustus) most sensitive to 

gibberellic acid treatment. Treatments permitting more rapid and uniform germination are 

desirable for production of nursery stock and establishment of seed production fields where 

natural prechilling following fall planting may be inadequate to release dormancy or when seeds 

are spring planted. 

Little research on germination of Lomatium species has been completed, but publications are 

available for some members of the Apiaceae. Seeds of Lomatium species contain immature 

embryos and require prolonged moist prechilling (8 to 12 weeks) for embryo maturation and 

germination. L. triternatum accessions are generally less dormant than those of L. dissectum. 

Dormancy is not readily relieved by gibberellic acid treatments. Germination occurs at low 

temperatures (<10o

C) and does not require light. A 24 hour presoak in water is as effective as 

other pretreatments tested for relieving fungal problems encountered during seed incubation. 

The transfer of all native seed collection records from the USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research 

Station and UDWR to electronic files was completed. The physical transfer of seed from RMRS 

was delayed pending the completion of our new facility.

Equipment: 

Ephraim, Provo. Equipment purchased this fiscal year includes: field tractor – 80hp, Reel type 

 seed harvester including hydraulic pump and other modification to the tractor used with 

 its operation. Product research was completed for all future purchases of equipment 

 including: combine harvester, transport trailer for combine, precision spray unit, raised 

 bed mulch layer, and field wheel transplanter. 
7

Growth chamber room at Lucky Peak Nursery (SSL-Boise) 

Plans for a room were drawn up. Construction will be delayed until arrangements for an 

offsite storage area are completed in conjunction with the move to a new laboratory 

building. 

Facilities: Establish field or wildland testing sites for evaluation of additional native grasses, 

forbs, and shrubs. 

- Ephraim: Construction of a production greenhouse and head house was bid out and 

 construction began in October with planned completion date of April 2004. 

 - Utah sites (DWR Ephraim) 

 UDWR was assigned maintenance and upkeep of three wildland testing sites: 

 Gunnison, Nephi, and Fountain Green. All sites were cleared and kept weed free 

 to prepare for future transplants and seeding trials. 

Work began on expanding the snow field station sprinkler irrigation system 

 

 Plans to lease a 20 acre field were delayed pending the final decision of Snow 

 College on whether or not to build a football stadium on snow field. 

- Nevada sites (Shrub Sciences Lab [SSL] – Provo and Boise) 

Winnemucca (Orovada). The climatic station was installed and weeds are being 

controlled on the planting area. 

Wells. Clearances were completed and the area fenced. The climatic station was 

installed and weeds are being controlled on the planting site. 

 - Idaho sites (SSL – Boise) 

Orchard Research Site (enhancement of an ongoing cooperative project) 

SSL-Boise and cooperators). Perimeter fencing is kept in repair and a plot for 

forb plantings is being maintained by SSL–Boise. Weather stations are 

maintained by the USDA-ARS Northwest Watershed Research Center and the 

USDA-NRCS. Trespass problems are being handled by the USDI-BLM Lower 

Snake River Office. 

Lucky Peak Shrub Garden (SSL-Boise). The multi-year rush skeletonweed 

(Chondrilla juncea) project is being continued. Spot treatments were applied as 

needed on areas treated in 2002 and additional areas were treated. Fuels 

management was also instituted and will be expanded in 2003. The site is used in 

cooperation with the Boise National Forest. 

Niagra Springs (SSL–Boise). The site was cleared and staked for spring 

planting in 2004. Cooperation is through an MOU with the Idaho Department of 

Fish and Game. 
8

Boise Botanic Garden (SSL-Boise). Two acres have been leased for forb 

research through a Research Joint Venture Agreement with the Selland College of 

Applied Technology Horticulture Program, Boise State University. The site will 

be prepared for planting and a deer fence installed in spring 2004. 

Leased private land (SSL-Boise). Private land was leased for establishment of 

three irrigated Penstemon common gardens in the Ontario, Oregon area. 

Technology Transfer position (SSL-Boise): The Botanist/Technology Transfer position (term 

appointment) was filled by Ann DeBolt at the USDA-FS Rocky Mountain Research Station 

Laboratory, Boise, Idaho in April 2003. 

Native grass development: 

1. Anatone bluebunch wheatgrass select germplasm was released in December 2003. 

Foundation seed is being managed by the Aberdeen Plant Materials Center. 

2. Thurber needlegrass seed was collected from the Orchard area in summer 2004 for 

establishment of a 1-acre field for seed increase. 

3. Yarrow was collected from the Eagle area in summer 2004 and placed in storage until the 

germplasm is released. 

4. The Utah Crop Improvement Association purchased 80 pounds of Sandberg bluegrass 

(G1) from the Mt. Home Air Force Base, Bruneau Training Area and will be held until 

the germplasm is released. 

Products: 

Manuals and Catalogues: 

Restoring Western Ranges and Wildlands (SSL-Provo and Boise, UDWR and 

cooperators). This book provides background on philosophy, processes, plant materials 

selection, and seed and seeding technology for revegetatin disturbed rangelands, emphasizing 

native species. Steve Monsen (SSL-Provo) and Richard Stevens (USWR, retired) are 

compilers. The text was completed in 2003 and is now going through final editing. 

Publication costs will be provided through this agreement and Forest Service R1/R4, 

National Fire Plan, Native Plant Program funding. 

Rangeland Revegetation Equipment Catalog (SSL-Boise, Provo, BLM and Revegetation 

Equipment and Technology Committee). Harold Wiedemann (retired professor, Texas 

A& M University) was awarded the contract for writing a revegetation equipment catalog 

describing types and operation of equipment designed or adapted for range and wildlife 

habitat improvement and disturbed land rehabilitation. Categories of equipment include: 

tractors; implements for controlling vegetation using fire, mechanical, or chemical methods; 

seedbed preparation; fertilizing and mulching; seeders and drills; specialized planters; seed 
9

collection; seed processing; and transport. The text is now half complete. The website will 

be established in 2004 and part of the text will be placed on the site for testing. Project 

completion is scheduled for summer 2005. 

Seed production, harvesting, cleaning, and storage of wildland grasses, forbs, and 

shrubs of the Intermountain area (UDWR, SSL-Provo and Boise, Utah Crop 

Improvement Association). The publication discusses seed technology and seed 

characteristics for 54 shrubs, 40 forbs, and 14 grasses. It also discusses the wildland seed 

industry, seed testing, and seed certification. The text will be completed in spring 2004. 

Field Guide to Intermountain Cyperaceae (excluding Carex) (SSL-Boise). This is the 

third in a series including the Field Guide to Intermountain Rushes (GTR-INT-306) and the 

Field Guide to Intermountain Sedges (RMRS-GTR-10). The guides are designed to assist 

specialists and nonspecialists working with these groups of plants in the Great Basin and 

surrounding areas. The text will be completed in 2004. 

 

Website: 

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project web site initiated. 

http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise/ then scroll to Shrubland Restoration and Ecology 

Cooperative Research to Manage or Restore Seed Sources and Develop Technology to 

Improve the Diversity of Introduced Grass Seedings: 

A Request for Information has been distributed for each of the research areas described below. 

Proposals are due March 15 and selection of successful submissions will occur in April 2004. 

Both are fully funded. 

1. Wildland shrub seed collection areas: Protect and manage selected wildland stands 

to enhance seed production. Management may include fence construction, stand 

thinning or pruning, fertilization, weed control, and removal of competing shrubby 

species. The species and sites proposed for protection and management include: 

Wyoming big sagebrush – southern Idaho, northcentral Nevada and central Utah 

Antelope bitterbrush – Sanpete County, Utah; Boise Front, Idaho; Elko, Nevada 

2. Increase native plant diversity in crested wheatgrass monocultures to improve 

community health and wildlife habitat values. 

Publications: 

Booth, D.T., S.E. Meyer, and N.L. Shaw. Purshia DC. ex Poir. 2003. In: Bonner, F.T. and R.G. 

Nisley. Woody Plant Seed Manual. USDA Forest Service, Washington, DC. 

http://wpsm.net/index.html 

DeBolt, Ann and Carol S. Spurrier. 2004. Seeds of success and the millennium seed bank 

project, p. 100-108. In: Hild, Ann L., Nancy L. Shaw, Susan E. Meyer, D. Terrance Booth, 

and E. Durant McArthur, comps. Seed and soil dynamics in shrubland ecosystems: 
10

proceedings. RMRS P-31. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain 

Research Station, Ogden, UT. 

Hild, Ann L.; Shaw, Nancy L.; Meyer, Susan E.; Booth, D. Terrance; McArthur, E. Durant, 

comps. 2004. Seed and soil dynamics in shrubland ecosystems: proceedings; 2002 August 

12-16; Laramie. WY. Proc. RMRS-P-31. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 216 p. 

Monsen, S.B., S.G. Kitchen, K. Memmott, N.Shaw, M. Pellant, S. Young, D. Ogle, L. St.John. 

2003. Notice to release Anatone Germplasm bluebunch wheatgrass (Selected Class natural 

population). USDA Forest Service, Provo, UT. 

Parkinson, H. (compiler). 2003. Landscaping with native plants of the Intermountain Region. A. 

DeBolt, R. Rosentreter, V. Geertson, eds. Tech. Ref. 1730-3, U.S. Department of the 

Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Boise, ID. 47 p. 

Shaw, N.L. and C.M.Waters. 2003. Native shrub seed industries in the western United States and 

Australia: Status and outlook. African Journal of Range & Forage Science 20: 1251-1253. 

Waters, C.M. and N.L. Shaw. 2003. Developing native grass seed industries for revegetation in 

Australia and the western United States: A contrast in production and adoption. African 

Journal of Range & Forage Science 20:1152-1160. 

Wambolt, C.L.; A.J. Harp, B.L. Welch, B.L., N.L. Shaw, J.W. Connelly, K.P. Reese, C.E. Braun, 

D.A. Klebenow, E.D.McArthur, J.G. Thompson, L.A. Torell, J.A. Tanaka. 2002. 

Conservation of greater sage-grouse on public lands in the Western United States: 

Implications of recovery and management policies. PACWPL Policy Paper SG-02-02. Policy 

Analysis Center for Western Public Lands, Caldwell, ID. 41 p. 

http://ndow.org/wild/sg/resources/sage_grouse_policy.pdf 

 

Francis, J.K. Wildland Shrubs of the United States and its Territories: Thamnic Descriptions. 

2003. Gen. Tech. Rep. IITF-WB-1. USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical 

Forestry and Shrub Sciences Laboratory, Ogden, UT. 

http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/wildland_shrubs.htm: 

Chapters: 

 DeBolt, A. Celtis reticulata Torr. 

 Shaw, N.L. Chamaebatiaria millefolium (Porter) Maxim. 

 Shaw, N.L. Holodiscus discolor (Pursh) Maxim. 

 Shaw, N.L. Holodiscus dumosus (Nutt.) Heller 

 Shaw, N.L. Philadelphus lewisii Pursh 

 Shaw, N.L. and S.B. Monsen. Purshia tridentata (Pursh) DC. 

 Shaw, N.L. and A.M. DeBolt. Rhus trilobata Nutt. In T. & G. 
11

Project Title: Agronomic and Cultural Care of Wildland Plants

Project Location: Brigham Young University 

Principal Investigators: Bruce Roundy, Val Jo Anderson, and Robert Johnson 

Contact Information: Bruce Roundy, Brigham Young University, 401 WIDB, Provo, 

UT 84602, 801.422.8137, bruce_roundy@byu.edu 

 Val Jo Anderson, Brigham Young University, 401 WIDB, Provo, 

 UT 84602, 801.422.3527, val_anderson@byu.edu 

 Robert Johnson, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, 

 801.422.3311, robert_johnson@byu.edu 

Description of Project: There are four components to this study, designed to assist growers of 

native seed. They include: A) herbicide tolerance evaluations, B) seeding depth studies, C) 

seeding rate studies, and D) spacing and production methodology development. Individual 

projects were initiated in spring 2003 to the extent seed and plant material were available. 

Limitations in plant material and seed quantity prevented completion of some project aspects and 

repeat treatments. 

A. Herbicide Tolerance: A major challenge facing growers in the production of herbaceous 

forb seed is the control of weeds. Weeds are problematic during the establishment phase of 

desired forbs, and equally so during seed harvest when weed seed contamination encumbers seed 

certification. The use of selective herbicides for weed control is an essential element in 

agricultural production. While herbicide selectivity is known relative to many common 

agricultural crops, little is known of the effects on native plant species. The purpose of this 

project was to evaluate varying rates of a suite of herbicides on multiple growth stages of 

selected native plant species. The following variables were incorporated as elements of the study 

design: 

Native plant species: mountain dandelion (Agoseris glauca); Utah milkvetch (Astragalus 

utahensis); tapertip hawksbeard (Crepis acuminata); oval-leaved buckwheat (Eriogonum 

ovalifolium); longleaf phlox (Phlox longifolia); scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea); 

gooseberry-leaf globemallow (Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia); yellow salsify (Tragopogon 

dubius). 

Plant growth stages: pre-germination (seed stage); seedling; mature plant. 

Herbicides: BuctrilTM (bromoxynil); KarmexTM (diuron); OustTM (sulfometuron-methyl); 

PlateauTM (imazapic); ProwlTM (pendimethalin); PursuitTM (imazethapyr); VelparTM 

(hexazinone). 

Herbicide rates: high (twice the recommended rate); medium (recommended rate); low (half the 

recommended rate). 

Methods: Herbicide was applied at designed rates as plant material representing required 

growth stages became available. The effect of herbicides on seed germination and emergence 

was tested using native soil, while seedling and mature plants were tested using plant material 
grown in potting soil. Herbicide rates were differentially applied using a single concentration for 

the “low rate,” with repeated application to generate the required volume of active ingredient

representing “medium” and “high” rates. Plant material was maintained for 1 month following 

herbicide application to measure mortality and effects on vigor. Experiments were replicated 

five times. 

Initial Results: Pre-emergent application of herbicide was conducted on three species. Overall 

emergence was highest with the herbicide Buctril. Emergence of Astragalus utahensis was also 

successful with Plateau. Velpar had the poorest emergence results, though more data are needed 

for Pursuit and Oust. 

Control

emerg

rel.

emerg vigor

rel.

emerg vigor

rel.

emerg vigor

rel.

emerg vigor

rel.

emerg vigor

rel.

emerg vigor

Astragalus utahensis 18.2

ssulariifolia

128% o 90% o 148% o 20%

%

-

Sphaeralcea gro 38.6 115% o 70% - 19% - - 7 - -

Tragopogon dubius 95.0

pecies

erbicide

igor)

gor)

igor)

igor)

sults)

62% + 55% - 49% o 4% - 0% o 0% o

5 remaining s

1 remaining h

- - (strong negative effect on v

 - (negative effect on vi

o (no effect on v

 + (positive effect on v

bold (indicates best re

Pursuit Plateau Oust Velpar

deficient plant material - redo in 2004

ontrol)

Buctril Prowl

GERMINATION/EMERGENCE

(relevant to c

 redo - 2004

Affects of herbicide on seedling mortality indicate greatest resistance to Buctril. Sphaeralcea 

spp. and Tragopogon are equally resistant to Prowl and Pursuit. Phlox longifolia, Sphaeralcea 

grossulariifolia, and Tragopogon are additionally resistant to Plateau. 

SEEDLING SURVIVAL

12

Affect of herbicides on mature plants revealed no-significant difference for both rate and 

herbicide brand for Tragopogon and Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia. Those were the only two 

species tested as mature plants. 

Project Status: Every phase of the project will be repeated in 2004 to fill data gaps and verify 

results. Stratification of seed is currently underway. Application of herbicide to all species as 

mature plants will occur this year. 

B. Seeding Depth: This project was designed to identify optimum planting depths for an 

assortment of native plant species. Two different soils were used to account for differences in 

soil types expected at regional farmlands. The following variables were incorporated as 

elements of the study design: 

high med

Buctril

low high med

Karmex

low high med

Oust

low high med low high med low high med

Pursuit

low high med

Plateau Prowl Velpar

low

Eriogonum o

on ifo

valifolium

Phlox l g lia 80% 100% 100% 20% 80% 100% 20% 0% 20% 100% 100% 100% 80% 60% 80% 60% 60% 80% 0% 0% 80%

Sphaeralcea coccinea

Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia 100% 100% 100% 20% 80% 100% 20% 20% 80% 80% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 0% 0% 80%

Tragopogon dubius 100%

defi

100%

t pl

100%

mat

100%

 - r

100%

o in

100%

04

20% 60% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 80% 20% 80% 100%

3 remaining s

e

pecies 0

sults)

RESULTS

46% 0% 7% 20% 40% 47% 20%

100% 40% 53% 73% 100% 100% 73%

cien ant erial ed 2

bold (indicates best r
Native plant species: the same 8 species as listed for Herbicide Tolerance treatments. 

Seeding depth: surface; 1/8 inch; 1/4 inch; 1/2 

inch; 1 inch.

13

Soil type: clay loam and sandy loam. 

Methods: Seeds were either acid scarified, cold 

stratified or non-treated and arranged in depth 

strata according to design and soil type. 

Emergence was recorded until emergence ceased. 

Preliminary Results: Only five species emerged 

in sufficient quantity to evaluate statistically. The 

best depth was 1/8 inch overall. Exceptions to 

this were Tragopogon, which performed best at 1⁄4 

inch, and Astragalus, which performed equally well from the surface. Surface sown seed may 

still end up with soil coverage as a result of overhead watering, especially for heavier seed. In 

sandy loam soils, Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia performed equally well in 1⁄4 and 1⁄2 inch depths. 

1/2 inch

1/4 inch

1/8 inch

1 inch

surface

Planting Design 

10”x20” germination tray

Cross

View

Top

View

sandy

loam

clay

loam

sandy

loam

clay

loam

sandy

loam

clay

loam

sandy

loam

clay

loam

sandy

loam

clay

loam

Agoseris glauca 32% 35% 2% 7% 0% no treatment

Astragalus utahensis 38% 31% cation

occinea on

ssulariifolia on

39% 29% 36% 19% 27% 26% 17% 11% acid

scarificati

scarifi

Sphaeralcea c 18% 21% 36% 52% 36% 27% 23% 23% 16% 32% acid

Sphaeralcea gro scarificati

dubius

75% 30% 94% 83% 100% 70% 98% 76% 74% 65% acid

Tragopogon 71% 49% 66% 61% 79% 68% 75% 51% 60% 25% no treatment

3 remaining s

resul

pecies

ts)

4

EPTH

ENCE

bold (indicates best

insufficient germination - redo in 200

SEEDING D

& EMERG

0 1/8 1/4 1/2 1

Project Status: Every phase of the project is being repeated in 2004 in order to fill data gaps 

and verify results. 

C. Seeding Rate: This project will evaluate optimal seeding rates. Commencement of the 

project is dependent upon seed availability. 

D. Spacing and Production Methodology: This project is designed to determine optimal plant 

spacing, mulching, and irrigation for maximum seed yield. The irrigation system was set up in 

2003 to provide drip and overhead watering. The bulk of plant material was inadequate to 

initiate field planting and will thus begin in 2004. 
14

Project Title: Forb and Shrub Genetics Research

Project Location: Shrub Sciences Laboratory, Provo, UT 

Principal Investigators: Durant McArthur and Stewart Sanderson 

Contact Information: Durant McArthur, USDA-FS-RMRS Shrub Sciences Laboratory, 

735 N. 500 E., Provo, UT 84606-1865, 801.356.5112, fax 

801.375.6968, dmcarthur@fs.fed.us

Stewart Sanderson, USDA-FS-RMRS Shrub Sciences 

Laboratory, 735 N. 500 E., Provo, UT 84606-1865, 801.356.5111, 

fax 801.375.6968, ssanderson@fs.fed.us 

Reporting for work funded, in part, by both the USDI Bureau of Land Management Native Plant 

Selection and Increase Project and USDA Forest Service National Fire Plan (Cooperators USDA 

Forest Service Rocky Mountain, Pacific Northwest, and Pacific Southwest Research Stations; 

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Brigham Young University) 

Description of Project: This work is designed to determine the levels of genetic variation of 

plant species used or with potential for use in rehabilitation and restoration of fire impacted and 

other disturbed sagebrush steppe and pinyon-juniper ecosystems. Additional genetics work is 

also underway in delimiting seed transfer zones for restoration plant materials. The genetic 

variation research is designed to explore both within and between population variation by using 

isozyme and molecular genetic markers. It also explores the possible genetic consequences of 

past revegetation plantings by comparing the genetic architecture of source populations, seeded 

populations, and indigenous populations adjacent to the seeded populations. Work to date 

suggests that genetic patterns need to be assessed on a species by species basis and take into 

account pollination systems and population size. We briefly summarize the initial results from 

isozymes, DNA-based molecular genetics, revegetation plantings, gene flow, and seed transfer 

zones. 

Isozymes (Hipkins): Twelve species have been examined so far, [Artemisia tridentata, 

Astragalus utahensis, Bromus carinatus, Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Ericareria nauseosa) 

Atriplex canescens, Crepis acuminata, Erigeron pumilus, Eriogonum umbellatum, Lupinus 

argenteus, Stimpa comata, Vicia americana, and Viguiera multiflora (Heliomeris multiflora)]. 

Additonal populuations have been added to the study as has Balsamorhiza sagitatta. These 

species are all common perennial species of the Intermountain West with use or potential use in 

habitat restoration projects (Appendix II). 

A total of 1,612 individuals were sampled between 2001 and 2003. DNA extraction was 

carried out on leaf tissue using either the (1) DNeasy-96 Frozen Leaf Tissue Protocol, or DNeasy 

Plant Mini Kit following manufacturer’s instructions with tissue homogenization achieved via 

the Mixer Mill 300 (Qiagen), or (2) FastPrep DNA Extraction (Bio-101). DNA quantity was 

assessed by fluorometry, and quality determined by visualizing all samples against 50 ng of 

Lambda DNA standard on 0.8% agarose gels stained with EtBr under UV light. DNA samples 

were shipped overnight on dry-ice to Richard Cronn, PNW, USDA Forest Service. Isozyme 

preparation followed the NFGEL Standard Operating Procedures. Extracts were electrophoresed 

on 11% starch gels, and stained for a suite of enzyme systems. 
15

To date, a total of 1,034 individuals in 52 populations of ten species were analyzed for 

isozymes. Material collected during the 2003 field season has not yet been analyzed for isozyme 

variation. 

Descriptive statistics for populations varied widely. Percent polymorphic loci vary from 

4.6% in Stipa comata, a cleistogamous selfer, and 7% in Bromus carinatus and one population of 

Atriplex canescens, to 91% in a population of Lupinus, which may be a mixed collection, 73.7% 

in Erigeron pumilus, and 72.2% in Eriogonum umbellatum. Alleles per locus follow a similar 

pattern. Observed heterozygosity was somewhat less than the expected heterozygosity, 

suggesting some degree of selfing, except in one Crepis acuminata population, two Erigeron 

pumilus populations, three Lupinus populations, and Vicia sp. 

Descriptive statistics for species were also variable. Percent polymorphic loci varied 

from 19% in largely selfing Bromus carinatus to 84% in Erigeron pumilus and 100% in Lupinus,

which may include two species. Alleles per locus varied from 1.2 in Stipa comata to 2.8 in 

Lupinus. Observed heterozygosity was less than expected except in Vicia americana. 

Statistics regarding differentiation and inferred gene flow among populations are 

provided for diploids and plants that were treated as diploids for analysis. Fst varied greatly, 

from 0.05 between two bona fide Eriogonum umbellatum populations to 0.78 in Stipa comata. 

(When the three populations of Eriogonum are analyzed together, Fst = 0.44.) Inferred gene 

flow varied inversely with Fst. 

In all species for which it could be calculated, genetic identity of conspecific populations 

averaged above 0.9—the expected value, except in Lupinus argenteus, where genetic identities 

averaged 0.88. Morphological diversity among Lupinus samples suggests that some were 

misidentified. Data for Stipa comata may seem contradictory because genetic identities were as 

expected for conspecific populations (averaging 0.907) but Fst was very high (0.78). This 

resulted from the fact that each population in this selfing species was extremely uniform. The 

species was monomorphic at most loci, but there were fixed differences among populations at 

certain loci. 

DNA-based molecular genetics (Cronn): The molecular genetic analysis is being performed on 

the same species that are being analyzed for isozymes. It appears that the two approaches are 

complementary. 

Molecular genetics results including previous work reveals some interesting patterns. The 

herbaceous plant populations have distinctive haplotypes, i.e., populations from different 

geographic areas are distinctive in terms of molecular genetic patterns, but the landscape 

dominant wind pollinated shrubs Atriplex canescens and Artemisia tridentata haplotypes are 

widespread among population, subspecies, and races. These patterns have implications for 

development of seed zones. We (Miglia et al.) have evidence of AFLP markers specific for 

sagebrush subspecies even though deeper, older genetic markers on ribosomal and chloroplast 

DNA are shared widely among taxa and populations. This suggests that the AFLP markers may 

be much more recent that the ribosomal and chloroplast DNA markers. 

Revegetation plantings gene flow: Several species are being examined in this portion of the 

study. Preliminary results for Linum, Sphaeralcea, Penstemon, and Atriplex are available. 

Linum perenne in the form of ‘Appar’ blue flax has been seeded widely in revegetation 

plantings. This germplasm was initially thought to be native but has since been shown to have 

derived from a naturalized population. A native species is L. lewisii. The two taxa do not 

hybridize either under controlled conditions or in juxtaposed seeded and indigenous populations 

suggesting that prudent use of ‘Appar’ does not impact the genetic architecture of native L. 
16

lewisii populations (The need of a native germplasm of blue flax is being addressed by the 

testing and probable release of ‘Maple Grove’ blue flax, a L. lewisii germplasm). Sphaeralcea 

(globe mallow) is a native genus which apparently frequently hybridizes. Both seeded and 

natural populations of globemallow species (S. grossulariifolia, S. ambigua, S. munroana) 

appear to form hybrid swarms (evidence from allozymes and molecular genetic—ISSR 

markers—give support for introgression) So far we have found no genetic evidence for 

introgression of the seeded ‘Cedar’ Palmer penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) into native adjacent 

of sympatric Penstemon populations but this work is in its early stages. Our work with Atriplex 

and other shrub species is also preliminary. However fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) 

source, revegetation planting, and indigenous populations show remarkable overall similarity 

with both allozyme and molecular genetic markers but with more similarity between the source 

and seeded populations than either had with the indigenous population growing near the seeding 

location. 

Publications: 

Matheson, T., L. A. Johnson, and E. D. McArthur. 2004. Assessing genetic variation within and 

between natural and reseeded populations of two native forbs. Abstract 204, p. 113, Abstracts, 

Society for Range Management, 57th Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah. 

McArthur, E. D. 2003. Consideration of seed transfer guidelines and importance of seed sources 

for Intermountain shrubs and forbs. p. 59-60 in proceedings, Improvement and Management of 

Sagebrush Communities in Wyoming. Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Cheyenne, 

Wyoming. 211 p. 

McArthur, E. D. 2003. Genetics of subgenus Tridendatae of Artemisia: Implications for 

management and taxonomy. Abstract 159, p. 62, Society for Range Management, 56th Annual 

Meeting, Casper, Wyoming. 

McArthur, E. D., V. Hipkins, and R. Cronn. 2003. The role of population genetics in 

revegetation: philosophy and empirical data. Abstract 160, p. 62-63, Society for Range 

Management, 56th Annual Meeting, Casper, Wyoming. 

Sanderson, S. C. and E. D. McArthur. 2004. Fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) seed 

transfer zones. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Gen. Tech. Rep. 

RMRS-GTR-125. Fort Collins, Colorado. 10 p. 

Mahalovich, M. F. and E. D. McArthur. in review. Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) seed transfer 

guidelines. Native Plant Journal. 
17

Project Title: Seed Increases, Genetic Variation and Ecophysiological 

Traits of Native Grasses 

Project Location: Logan, UT (USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory) 

Principal Investigators: Thomas A. Jones, Steven R. Larson, Thomas A. Monaco, and 

 Douglas A. Johnson 

Contact Information: Thomas A. Jones, Forage and Range Research, Utah State 

University, Logan, UT 84322-6300, 435.797.3082 

 tomjones@cc.usu.edu 

 Steve Larson, Forage and Range Research, Utah State University, 

Logan, UT 84322-6300, 435.797.1703 

 stlarson@cc.usu.edu 

 Thomas A. Monaco, Forage and Range Research, Utah State 

 University, Logan, UT 84322-6300, 435.797.7231 

 tmonaco@cc.usu.edu 

 Douglas A. Johnson, Forage and Range Research, Utah State 

 University, Logan, UT 84322-6300, 435.797.3067 

 daj@cc.usu.edu

Description of Project: Genetic diversity among accessions will be characterized for 8 native 

grass species using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) DNA markers. 

Measurements of ecophysiological traits of accessions selected to represent AFLP variation will 

be used to provide an ecophysiological interpretation of the genetic array delineated by the DNA 

data. 

 

Seed of Fish Creek (origin: Blaine Co., ID) and Toe Jam Creek (origin: Elko Co., NV) naturaltrack bottlebrush squirreltail germplasms was distributed by the Utah Crop Improvement 

Association to two seed growers apiece for increase under the buy-back option. The four fields 

were established in September 2003 and the first seed harvest is anticipated for 2004. 

Selection work continues on bottlebrush squirreltail material orginating in Elmore Co., ID. 

Progeny of selected plants from three accessions collected in the vicinity of Mountain Home, ID 

were transplanted to a replicated field test in April 2003. Establishment data were collected in 

2003 and additional data will be collected in 2004. 

Harvest of G1 seed of Seven Devils Snake River wheatgrass and Columbia bluebunch 

wheatgrass genetically manipulated germplasms (to be proposed for release in 2004) was 

precluded by a freeze in late May 2003. Harvest is planned for 2004. Both of these germplasms 

are to be proposed for release in 2004. 

Seed of White River Indian ricegrass (origin: Rio Blanco Co., CO) was harvested in 2003 for the 

first time. A seed-increase field of Bonneville Indian ricegrass (origin: Tooele Co., UT) and a 

second field of White River were established from transplants in 2003. These genetically 
18

manipulated germplasms were subjected to mass selection on the basis of high seed yield and 

high germinability from wildland collections identified as high in germinability upon comparison 

with many others. Both of these germplasms are to be proposed for release in 2004. 

Star Lake Indian ricegrass genetically manipulated germplasm (origin: McKinley Co., NM), also 

noted for high seed yield and germinability, was approved for release in 2003. Seed is available 

for distribution upon formal release. 

Accessions of Idaho fescue and its coastal congener, Roemer's fescue were analyzed for genetic 

identity using AFLP profiles. A clear distinction was seen between Idaho and Roemer's fescue 

accessions, but the two taxa are very closely related. A subset of the Roemer's fescue accessions 

corresponded to those identified as the "klamathensis" type. 

A total of 158 accessions was collected in three collection trips in 2003, the first to northeastern 

Utah, northwestern Colorado, and western Wyoming, the second to western Idaho and eastern 

and central Oregon, and the third to central Oregon and northeastern California. Numbers of 

accessions collected include 14 for basin wildrye (4-OR, 10-CA), 3 for beardless wildrye (1-OR, 

2-CA), 5 for basalt milkvetch (5-OR), 16 for Indian ricegrass (1-ID, 2-UT, 4-WY, 8-OR, 1-NV), 

9 for bottlebrush squirreltail ssp. elymoides (1-ID, 7-OR, 1-NV), 3 for bottlebrush squirreltail 

ssp. californicus (2-OR, 1-NV), 12 for bottlebrush squirreltail ssp. brevifolius (10-OR, 1-NV, 1-

CA), 3 for bottlebrush squirreltail ssp. mixed or not identified (2-OR, 1-CA), 19 for big 

squirreltail (7-ID, 11-OR, 1-CA), 16 for bluebunch wheatgrass (3-ID, 13-OR), 53 for needleand-thread (2-ID, 12-UT, 10-CO, 27-WY, 2-OR). 

2003/2004 Publications: 

Jones, T. A. The restoration gene pool concept: Beyond the native vs. non-native debate. 

Restor. Ecol. 11:281-290. 2003. 

J. A. Young, C. D. Clements, and T. Jones. Germination of seeds of big and bottlebrush 

squirreltail. J. Range Manage. 56:277-281. 2003. 

J. A. Young, C. D. Clements, and T. A. Jones. Germination of seeds of robust needlegrass. J. 

Range Manage. 56:247-250. 2003. 

T. A. Jones, D. C. Nielson, J. T. Arredondo, and M. G. Redinbaugh. Characterization of 

diversity among three squirreltail taxa. J. Range Manage. 56:474-482. 2003. 

Larson, S. R., T. A. Jones, C. L. McCracken, and K. B. Jensen. Amplified fragment length 

polymorphism in E. elymoides, E. multisetus, and other Elymus taxa. Can. J. Bot. 81:789-805. 

2003. 

Asay, K. H., N. J. Chatterton, K. B. Jensen, T. A. Jones, B. L. Waldron, and W. H. Horton. 2003. 

Breeding improved grasses for semiarid rangelands. Arid Soil Res. Manage. 17:469-478. 

Jones, T. A., D. C. Nielson, A. Phan, B. Wark, and S. A. Young. Registration of Ribstone 

Indian ricegrass germplasm. Crop Sci. 44: (2004) 
19

Jones, T. A., D. C. Nielson, and S. A. Young. Registration of Cucharas green needlegrass 

germplasm. Crop Sci. 44: (2004) 

Submitted Publications: 

Jones, T. A. Native seeds: Genetics, adaptation, and commerce. Native Plants J. 5: . (2004). 

Jones, T. A., D. C. Nielson, S. R. Larson, D. A. Johnson, T. A. Monaco, S. L. Caicco, D. G. 

Ogle, and S. A. Young. Registration of Fish Creek bottlebrush squirreltail germplasm. 

Submitted to Crop Science. 

Jones, T. A., D. C. Nielson, S. R. Larson, D. A. Johnson, T. A. Monaco, S. L. Caicco, D. G. 

Ogle, S. A. Young, and J. R. Carlson. Registration of Toe Jam Creek bottlebrush squirreltail 

germplasm. Submitted to Crop Science. 
20

Project Title: Patterns of Genetic Variation in Native Grasses 

Project Location: USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan, UT 

Principal Investigator: Steve Larson 

Contact Information: Steve Larson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, FRRL, 

Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-6300, 435.797.1703, fax 

435.797.3075, stlarson@cc.usu.edu 

Description of Project: DNA fingerprinting North American range grasses 

The squirreltail study described at the 2003 Great Basin Native Plant Selection and 

Increase Project meeting was published in the Canadian Journal of Botany (citation below). This 

compares genetic identity and genetic diversity within and among 22 Elymus elymoides subsp. 

elymoides, 24 E. elymoides subsp. brevifolius, and 13 Elymus multisetus accessions including 

cultivated seed sources from Maughn and Barton Seed, Granite Seed, Raineer Seed, the Forage 

and Range Research Laboratory (i.e. Sand Hollow big squirreltail and Fish Creek bottlebrush 

squirreltail). Reprints will be available at the 2004 annual meeting. 

 The Bromus carinatus sensu lato DNA study was submitted to the Native Plant Journal as 

an invited research paper that will hopefully be published in a special “Genetics” issue of this 

journal (www.nativeplantnetwork.org). This study compares genetic identity among cultivated 

seed increases of B. marginatus from Routte NF and White River NF (USDA-NRCS, Meeker 

Plant Materials Center), the new Garnet variety released by the USDA-NRCS, Bridger Plant 

Materials Center, and approximately 20 other natural germplasm sources from western North 

America. At least 4 geographically significant groups were identified, however the taxonomic 

status of B. marginatus seemed questionable. We elected to treat all North American Bromus

sect. Ceratochloa collections as B. carinatus sensu lato. Interestingly, DNA profiles from the 

variety Cucamonga (2n=84) were very unusual relative to other B. carinatus and B. marginatus

accessions. We concluded that Cucamonga is not B. carinatus (2n=56), as was previously 

believed. 

 The bluebunch wheatgrass DNA study, briefly described in last years annual meeting, 

was finally submitted to the American Journal of Botany (citation below). This paper compares 

genetic identity and genetic diversity within and among 82 sites (565 plants) across western 

North America, and included cultivated sources of Goldar, Whitmar, P-7, and Anatone. Since 

the preliminary report last year, approximately 15,000 CPU hours were used to evaluated various 

models of population structure. The best model of population structure included 21 genetic 

groups, which generally displayed well-defined geographic distributions. A final report 

(PowerPoint presentation) will be provided at the 2004 annual meetings. 

 In cooperation with Dr. Michael Peel, efforts are underway to characterize genetic 

identity and genetic diversity within and among 16 putative Hedysarum boreale and 5 putative 

H. occidentale accessions, including the cultivated Timp H. boreale variety. These natural 

germplasm sources include 2 collections from the USDA Forest Service Shrub Lab and 12 

collections made by the Utah DWR, Great Basin Reseach Center. We have obtained highly 

informative DNA profiles from 20 individual plants from most of the 21 accessions (379 

individual plants). In actuality, only three accessions displayed what appears to be H. 

occidentale DNA profiles: U1-01 (19/20 H. occidentale), U3-01 (2/4 H. occidentale), and U5-01 

(20/20 H. occidentale). The U1-01 was labeled as H. occidentale, U3-01 was labeled as H. 
21

occidentale, and U5-01 was labeled as H. occidentale. Evidently, the U3-01 and U5-01 H. 

occidentale collections are mixed accessions of H. occidentale and H. boreale. Moreover, two 

other accessions labeled as H. occidentale (U2-01 and U51-01) displayed DNA profiles similar 

to H. boreale. 

 Finally, we are just beginning a new Leymus wildrye research project. From a seed 

production standpoint, L. cinereus is the most important North American Leymus wildrye. 

However, L. triticoides is also used in many revegetation projects. This project aims to 

characterize genetic identity and genetic diversity in the Leymus wildrye collection maintained at 

the USDA Forage and Range Research Lab including cultivated and natural germplasm sources 

of North American Leymus wildryes [L. cinereus (200), L. triticoides (30). Leymus salinus (9), 

L. ambiguous (9), L. mollis (2), L. innovatus (2), L. condensatus (2), L. flavescens (2), and L. 

mojavensis (2)] and related Euarasian Leymus wildryes (L. angustus (2), L. arenarius (2), L. 

ramosus (2), L. racemosus (3), L. multicaulis (2), L. secalinus (5), L. akmolinensis (2), L. 

subulosus (2), and L. chinensis (2)]. We aim to analyze DNA profiles from 7 individual plants 

from each accession. 

Publications: 

Larson, S.R., Jones, T.A., McCracken, C.L., and Jensen, K.B. 2003. Amplified fragment length 

polymorphism in E. elymoides, E. multisetus, and other Elymus taxa. Can. J. Bot. 81:789-804. 

Massa, A.N. and Larson, S.R. 2004. DNA polymorhism among mountain bromes (Bromus 

carinatus) of western North America. Native Plants Journal. 

Larson, S.R., Jones, T.A., and Jensen, K.B. 2004. Population structure in Pseudoroegneria 

spicata (Poaceae: Triticeae) modeled by Bayesian clustering of AFLP genotypes. American 

Journal of Botany (submitted 2/18/2004). 
22

Project Title: Collection and Evaluation of Astragalus filipes from 

Western North America 

Project Location: Logan, UT (USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory)

Principal Investigators: Douglas A. Johnson and Kevin J. Connors

Contact information: Douglas A. Johnson, USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research 

Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-6300, 

435.797.3067, daj@cc.usu.edu

Kevin J. Connors, USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research 

Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-6300, 

435.797.3385, kconnors@cc.usu.edu

Description of Project: Based on discussions with land managers from the BLM and Forest 

Service as well as literature searches, it was determined that Astragalus filipes (basalt milkvetch 

or threadstalk milkvetch) was a good candidate species for use in restoration and revegetation 

efforts in the Intermountain West. Location data were collected from specimen sheets from 

herbaria in the western United States and the New York Botanical Garden to identify potential 

collection sites in the Intermountain Region. 

During the summer of 2003, intensive efforts were initiated to collect seed of basalt 

milkvetch. Seed collections were made from 72 sites across a six-state area of its distribution. 

Detailed passport data (latitude, longitude, elevation, slope, soils data, associated species, etc.) 

were obtained for each collection. Basalt milkvetch occurs on a wide diversity of sites ranging 

from 5” annual precipitation in Nevada to more than 20” precipitation in northeast California. 

Elevations at the collection sites ranged from 663’ to 8,350’. An abundance of collections 

originated in central and eastern Oregon, and only one collection was from Utah. 

This species is a good seed producer, except that seed weevils were prevalent on plants at 

many of the collection sites. High densities of plants occurred in burned areas in Oregon, and 

Nevada. Field observations indicated that plants were grazed by both livestock and wildlife. At 

Clarno, Oregon, basalt milkvetch was successfully growing and competing in dense stands of 

cheatgrass and medusahead. Green- and red-stem biotypes co-occurred on some sites, but the 

significance of these differences is unknown. 

Root nodules were collected from plants at 16 sites, and desiccated root nodules were 

sent to the Nitragin Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for plating, culturing, and isolation of 

rhizobial strains. These strains will be tested in a greenhouse to determine which strains are 

most infective and effective at nitrogen fixation. Forage and soil samples were also collected at 

each site for forage toxicity analysis. Forage samples were ground, extracted, and analyzed for 

toxic properties by Dr. Dale Gardner at the USDA-ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory at 

Logan. Amounts of nitrotoxins (3-nitropropanol), selenium, and swainsonine (a compound that 

causes loco poisoning in animals and a product of a fungal-endophyte association) were either 

non-detectable or extremely low for all collections of basalt milkvetch. As a result, these 

collections of basalt milkvetch do not appear to have any major livestock or wildlife toxicity 

problems. 

Seeds from each of the collection sites were threshed, cleaned, scarified, and planted in 

conetainers for subsequent germination and seedling establishment in a greenhouse. All 

conetainers were inoculated with composite soil samples homogenized from the various 
23

collection sites to allow plants to select appropriate rhizobial strains. At about 7 weeks of age, 

plant roots of six accessions of basalt milkvetch were removed from the conetainers, washed free 

of soil, and sent to the Nitragin Company for plating, culture, and isolation of rhizobial strains. 

About 150-250 plants of each of 68 accessions are currently growing in a greenhouse at Logan. 

These plants will be established in common garden sites at Evans Farm and Cornish in northern 

Utah, and possibly other locations. Possible selection characteristics for this species might 

include seedling establishment, plant vigor, forage yield/quality, competitive interactions with 

other species, grazing tolerance, persistence, and seed yield. 

Collaborations were established with Jim Cane at the USDA-ARS Bee Biology and 

Systematics Lab at Logan to study pollination and seed predation in basalt milkvetch. This work 

will include an analysis of the proportion of seed that is self-pollinated compared to crosspollinated, and whether basalt milkvetch is nectar-producing or not. 

During 2004, we will be initiating seed collection of Dalea ornata. 

Publications:

Gilmanov, T.G., D.A. Johnson, and N.Z. Saliendra. 2003. Growing season CO2 fluxes in a 

sagebrush-steppe ecosystem in Idaho: Bowen ratio/energy balance measurements and modeling. 

Basic Applied Ecol. 4: 167-183. 

Monaco, T.A., D.A. Johnson, J.M. Norton, T.A. Jones, K.J. Connors, J.B. Norton, and M.B. 

Redinbaugh. 2003. Contrasting responses of Intermountain West grasses to soil nitrogen. J. 

Range Manage. 56: 282-290. 

Jensen, K.B., B.L. Waldron, K.H. Asay, D.A. Johnson, and T.A. Monaco. 2003. Forage 

nutritional characteristics of orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass at five irrigation levels. Agron. 

J. 95: 668-675. 

Wylie, B.K., D.A. Johnson, E. Laca, N.Z. Saliendra, T.G. Gilmanov, B.C. Reed, L.L. Tieszen, 

and B.B. Worstell. 2003. Calibration of remotely sensed, coarse resolution NDVI to CO2 fluxes 

in a sagebrush-steppe ecosystem. Remote Sens. Environ. 85: 243-255. 

Johnson, D.A., N.Z. Saliendra, J.W. Walker, and J.R Hendrickson. 2003. Bowen ratio versus 

canopy chamber CO2 fluxes on sagebrush rangeland. J. Range Manage. 56: 517-523. 

Jigjidsuren, S. and D.A. Johnson. 2003. Forage plants in Mongolia. Admon Publishing CO., 

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. 563 pp. 

Johnson, D.A., K.H. Asay, and K.B. Jensen. 2003. Carbon isotope discrimination and yield in 

14 cool-season grasses. J. Range Manage. 56: 654-659. 
24

Project Title: Pollinator and Seed Predator Studies

Project Location: USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Lab 

Principal Investigator: James H. Cane 

Contact Information: USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, 

Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5310 USA, 

435.797.3879, fax 435.797.0461, jcane@biology.usu.edu 

Description of Project: Native bees and/or honey bees are needed to pollinate most of the 

wildflower species considered for Great Basin revegetation. The pollinator faunas of many of 

these candidate plant genera include one or more potentially manageable native cavity-nesting 

species. Pollinator needs are being evaluated by comparing fruit and seed sets at caged flowers, 

openly visited flowers, and manually pollinated flowers. If plant reproduction proves to be 

pollinator limited, then native bee faunas will be surveyed and evaluated at managed and wild 

flowering populations. If bees are sufficiently abundant, then single-visit pollination efficiencies 

at previously caged flowers can directly evidence each bee species’ contribution to seed 

production. Concurrently, drilled wooden nesting blocks will be placed in these habitats to 

acquire captive populations of one or more promising native pollinators (Appendix III). 

Currently managed bee species (alfalfa leaf-cutting bees, blue orchard bees, alkali bees, honey 

bees) will be evaluated for their pollination prowess with each of the target plant species as well, 

probably using managed stands maintained by BLM and USFS collaborators on this proposal. 

Status Report: Abundant wild populations of Crepis acuminata were found locally, as were 

those of the newly added species (Lomatium dissectum, Lupinus sericeus, Astragalus filipes ). 

Additional wild populations of northern sweetvetch were also located on federal land east of the 

Tetons but drought limited bloom. We now have planted out 20' x 20' plots (to fit our field 

pollination cages) with 16-month-old plants of Hedysarum boreale and Penstemon speciosus that 

we started from seed, and a mix of seed and plants of Eriogonum umbellatum and Crepis 

acuminata. All of these are planted through melted holes in weed barrier fabric (the Aberdeen 

method) with pre-emergent herbicide, and can be used with captive populations of cavity-nesting 

bees from the 2003 trap nesting program. 

Pollinators, particularly bees, will be needed for seed production of most of the native forbs 

chosen for this project from the Great Basin flora. Autopollination never yielded seeds for 

Hedysarum (n=754 flowers). For Balsamorhiza, autopollination rarely set plump achenes (Fig 1 

and text below). Possible exceptions include C. acuminata, which nonetheless was found to 

attract bees, a fact that may be useful if a more genetically diverse seed stock is desired. 

Biscuitroot (Lomatium dissectum) is sparsely visited, but only by bees, primarily a small, native 

ground-nesting species in the genus Andrena (possibly Micrandrena, which are mostly 

specialists on members of the carrot family like Lomatium). A close relative that flowers 

concurrently, L. grayii, is visited solely by flies (Appendix III). 

In general, it appears that bees are the essential pollinators for the selected wildflower species. 

Our most detailed evidence for pollination need comes from this year’s experiments with 

balsamroot (Fig. 1), illustrated in the figure below. Although all 6,739 ovules yielded an 

achene, only 4,544 achenes were plump, and we found that only plump achenes contained 

endosperm (by our X-ray analysis of seeds). Furthermore, only plump achenes have thus far 

germinated for us. As the figure shows, virtually no plump achenes result at flowers from which 
bees have been excluded. Our manual pollinations show that this species is self-compatible, but 

flower heads with comparable numbers of florets will set more seed if they are outcrossed by us 

or freely visited by bees (Fig 1). These results are robust and consistent across individuals 

Fig. 1. Pollination needs of 

arrowleaf balsamroot, 

comparing seed set resulting 

from auto-pollination, selfcompatability, outcrossing

and pollination service by its 

native bee fauna. 

(n=47) and sites (n=3). The primary manageable bees for pollinating balsamroot are two species 

of spring-flying Osmia, O. californica and O. montana (Appendix III), both of which are 

specialists for members of the sunflower family like balsamroot. Through our trap-nesting 

program, we acquired populations of both species, which readily visited balsamroot flowers and 

prospered reproductively despite the cool weather of spring. Nests of these two bee species can 

be made available to growers whenever they have bloom in need of pollination, although several 

years of lead time would help us to build up the captive population to some hundreds of 

individuals. Reproductive and pollination study of this species now stands complete. 

We found that sweetvetch hosts a rich diversity and abundance of bee species, including those of 

the genus Osmia (21 species and counting thus far), Megachile and Hoplitis. Most of these 

carry pure loads of Hedysarum pollen (n=16 bees sampled), indicative of their fidelity and 

preference for this species in mixed meadows. Several of the more common species consistently 

contact the stigma with pollen-laden hairs on every floral visit, encouraging evidence for their 

pollination value. These three bee genera also contain some species that nest above-ground in 

cavities, and therefore have management potential. Identification is arduous, however, 

something that we will complete by spring for these bees from last year’s collections and trapnesting efforts. Bumblebees visit it avidly too, but are not practical to manage outdoors. This 

summer-flowering native plant’s popularity with diverse native bees at our field sites promises 

that revegetation with sweetvetch will feed many native bee species wherever it is used for 

rehabilitation of the summer montane fauna. 

Our pollination experiments with this plant yielded mixed results. Clearly, no pods or seeds 

result from auto-pollination (n=754 flowers). Our careful attempts at manual pollination (self, 

cross, and wide outcross) yielded some pods (8-18% pod set) and seeds, but fell far short of the 

pod and seed production resulting at freely visited flowers (51% of 676 flowers set a pod). We

obtained an average of 28 good seeds per freely visited raceme of sweetvetch (2.6 seeds per 

pod). We will redouble our efforts at understanding breeding biology (particularly stigma

25
26

receptivity), widen our survey of its pollinator fauna to include wild and managed populations in 

Wyoming, and evaluate pollinator service and suitability of the blue orchard bee for pollinating a 

field plot managed by Rick Dunne near Lanner, Wyoming. 

I commenced fieldwork with Astragalus filipes this year, accompanying Doug Johnson to eastern 

Nevada. Several species of Anthidium and Osmia (Appendix III) were the most common visitors 

at Pequop Summit, again both genera with some cavity-nesting species. We will be planting 

seedlings from Doug’s work in one of our prepared 20' x 20' plots for field pollinator trials, and I 

intend to greatly expand pollinator/pollination work with this species next summer to establish 

its breeding biology as well as to better sample its pollinator fauna, probably focusing at sites on 

the western edge of the Great Basin where the species grows amid forested areas with nesting 

opportunities for Osmia bees (for which we will deploy nesting blocks). With luck, this species 

will share a manageable pollinator with Hedysarum and Lupinus sericeus. The latter species will 

especially need this, as it provides no nectar to foragers but is an obligate outcrosser, and thus 

must be planted with a companion nectar-producing species within flight range of a shared 

pollinator. 

We placed drilled wooden nesting blocks and nesting stems for cavity-nesting bees at 10 sites 

across a wide elevation gradient this past summer, in hopes of obtaining some of the bee species 

that are visiting flowers of our target forb species. Occupied straws have been pulled and xrayed; representative individuals will be pulled for identification in the coming few months, and 

matched to the faunas obtained at flowers. This effort will be intensified and focused, with 

additional effort spent in the eastern Sierra Nevada and possibly the Blue Mountains and other 

areas where these forbs meet conifer forest. 

Native herbivorous insects have the potential to become pests of seed production on each of 

the wildflower species studied to date. Caterpillars of a gelechiid moth use silk to web together 

and devour flowering racemes of sweetvetch. The caterpillars drop from the plant to pupate in 

the soil. We reared some to adulthood, so that they could be identified by the only specialist for 

the genus (at Mississippi State University). The species is Filatima xanthuris, previously 

unknown from Hedysarum. Another species was found webbing flowering umbels of Lomatium; 

I am overwintering several pupae now in hopes of obtaining adults to identify. It will likely 

belong to a genus of the Oecophoridae known to attach members of the carrot family. Tiny 

maggots of a tephritid fly were found commonly feeding in the flower heads of balsamroot. 

They were reared to adulthood and identified as Tropanea jonesi, a species known to attack 

Balsamorhiza. Overwintering fall armyworm caterpillars devoured foliage and flower buds of 

Balsamorhiza too. Seed weevils were found to attack green pods of the legumes, their larvae 

developing in the individual drying seeds. Species were identified by the world expert on this 

genus Acanthoscelides (Clarence Johnson). Seeds of sweetvetch were attacked by A. fraterculus, 

a new host genus record for this species, which is otherwise known from Astragalus. From 

Astragalus filipes seed obtained this year, he identified two seed weevils, A. pullus and A. 

fraterculus. These are all in the family Bruchidae. 

Our primary focus will be on establishing life histories for these and other herbivorous species 

that attack buds, flowers and seeds (adults are needed for ID). We will evaluate their abilities to 

travel and reproductively cycle in dried seed. With the help and expertise of Bob Hammon at 

Colorado State, we hope to develop practical, safe and effective control treatments for each of 

these insects for future use when these wildflowers are grown in row crop agriculture. 
27

Project Title: Establishment and Maintenance of Certified Foundation 

(G1) Seed 

Project Location: NRCS Aberdeen, ID, Plant Materials Center 

Principal Investigators: Loren St. John, Center Manager 

 Dan Ogle, NRCS Plant Materials Specialist, Boise, ID 

Contact Information: Loren St. John, Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, P.O. Box 296, 

Aberdeen, ID 83210, Loren.Stjohn@id.usda.gov 

Dan Ogle, Plant Materials Specialist, USDA-NRCS, 9173 West 

Barnes Drive, Suite C, Boise, ID 83709, Dan.Ogle@id.usda.gov 

Description of Project: To produce Certified Foundation (G1) seed of Maple Grove Lewis flax, 

Anatone bluebunch wheatgrass, Snake River Plains Germplasm fourwing saltbush and Northern 

Cold Desert Germplasm winterfat to facilitate commercial production. Evaluate procedures for 

production of rooted cuttings of fourwing saltbush. Establish demonstration planting near Boise, 

ID. 

Seed Production 

Maple Grove Flax - Seeded 1.8 acres field 3 on May 31, 2002. Field swathed July 22, 

combined July 28, 2003. Produced 615 pounds (342 pounds per acre), bushel weight 38.8 

pounds. Seed analysis pending. 

Anatone bluebunch wheatgrass - Seeded 1.0 acres field 11 on May 31, 2002. Field direct 

combined July 11, 2003. Produced 240 pounds (240 pounds per acre), bushel weight 22.1 

pounds. Seed analysis pending. 

Snake River Plains Germplasm fourwing saltbush - Produced approximately 98 pounds (seed 

analysis pending). Shipped 5 pounds Certified seed. 

Northern Cold Desert Germplasm winterfat - Produced approximately 15 pounds (seed 

analysis pending). Shipped 3 pounds Certified seed. 

Propagation Studies 

Propagation of rooted fourwing saltbush from cuttings

Based upon cutting trials conducted in 2002, four hundred cuttings (320 female and 80 male) 

were harvested on August 18, 2003. Cuttings were treated with rooting hormone and planted 

into 40 inch3

 deep pots and placed in the greenhouse. One half of the cuttings were set on heat 

pads set at 85o F to evaluate the need for bottom heat. Following is a summary of rooting 

success and growth rates evaluated November 7, 2003: 

Leader length (cm) 
28

 % rooted minimum average maximum

Female cuttings (bottom heat) 28.75 1.75 5.70 36 

Female cuttings (no heat) 20.60 0.50 9.25 38 

Male cuttings (bottom heat) 27.50 1.00 9.00 25 

Male cuttings (no heat) 7.50 12.00 15.00 23 

There appears to be some advantage to bottom heat during root development. The best rooting 

success (50 percent) was achieved from cuttings harvested August 19, 2002 which was 

significantly greater than achieved in 2003. In 2002, cuttings were propagated under mist as 

compared to overhead irrigation used in 2003. It appears there is a need to evaluate irrigation 

strategies to improve rooting success. 

Greenhouse seedling establishment study: to evaluate fourwing saltbush seedling emergence 

based upon number of propagules planted per cell (5 versus 10 per cell) and to identify number 

of days to emergence, growth rates and transplant dates. 

As reported in 2002, 75 percent of the seedlings had red stems and 25 percent had white stems at 

time of transplant. The question arose as to whether or not this phenological difference could be 

an indication of the sex of the plant. Plants are being maintained to determine if this is possible. 

Idaho Native Plant Demonstration Area, Area, Orchard Research Site (NRCS Aberdeen 

Plant Materials Center, Loren St. John and Dan Ogle). BLM burned the site in fall of 2002. 

Site was sprayed by PMC on May 1, 2003 with Roundup and 2,4-D at 64 oz and 16 oz. per acre 

respectively. Spot treatment was applied May 13, 2003. Excellent kill was achieved. Due to 

limited breakdown of dead grass clumps that would inhibit proper seed placement with drill and 

to ensure a clean seedbed, the decision was made to delay seeding until the fall of 2004. The 

delay will allow another opportunity to apply herbicide and allow for further breakdown of the 

dead grass clumps. Seed of 76 accessions were obtained and a planting plan developed. 
29

Project Title: Cooperative Native Seed Increase through AOSCA 

 State Foundation Seed Program Managers and Private 

 Growers 

Project Location: Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington 

Principal Investigators: Ann DeBolt and Nancy Shaw (USFS-RMRS-SSL-Boise) and 

 Greg Lowry (AOSCA) 

Contact Information: Greg Lowry, Association of Official Seed Certifying 

 Agencies (AOSCA), 55 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 150, Meridian, ID 

83642, 208.884.8225, ghlowry@aol.com 

Project Description: Greg Lowry, AOSCA executive vice president, invited the Great Basin 

Native Plant Selection and Increase Project to submit a proposal to work through that national 

organization towards the development of a multi-state approach for increasing native forb seed 

supplies for Great Basin restoration. The program involves distribution of wildland collected 

seed to growers via the Foundation Seed Programs of states producing seed for the Great Basin 

(Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, and surrounding areas). The emphasis will 

generally be on species not on the research species list, but on lists of species of interest to BLM 

Districts in the Great Basin states. We will work with private growers to provide available seed 

production data for each species or related species and accumulate basic information on seed 

production technology for publications and development of protocols that will be posted on the 

website. Foundation Seed programs will contract for purchase of part or all of the seed produced 

by the growers during the first 2 years and distribute the increase to additional growers. This 

concept was presented at the Interagency Plant Materials meeting in Reno, Nevada in June 2003. 

The draft proposal was presented at the national AOSCA meeting in Charleston, South Carolina 

in July 2003 and AOSCA’s board approved the proposal in August. 

Twenty-three seed lots of species with medium to high priority for the USDI-BLM were 

harvested in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon in summer 2003. All collections were cleaned, 

tested, source-identified, and prepared for distribution. The program concept was presented at the 

Nevada Wildland Seed Producers Association meeting in September, and a program brochure 

has been developed (DeBolt and Shaw 2003). Time required for program authorization and 

implementation, communication with grower groups, and modification of the program format 

delayed seed distribution until spring 2004. 

A poster describing the program presented at the Trade Show during the Society for Range 

Management annual meeting in January 2004 facilitated contacts with additional growers. A 

coordination meeting held on February 4, 2004 was attended by Greg Lowry, the Idaho State 

Foundation Seed Program Manager, two seed producers, Scott Lambert, Nancy Shaw, and Ann 

DeBolt. We reduced our original list to species with the largest lot size and those of the most 

interest to BLM. Program administration was further refined and the list has been resubmitted to 

State Foundation Seed Program managers for grower consideration (see table). We have since 

heard from UT, OR, and ID, and will distribute seed sometime in the next 1 to 6 months. Most 

2003 seed will not be sown until fall 2004 giving interested growers time to plan and prepare 
30

their fields. It is possible that a few additional high priority species collected in summer 2003 or 

2004 will be included in this distribution. 

2004 Work Plans: 

Seed lots listed in the table below will be distributed and Foundation Seed Program Managers 

will develop grower contracts. We will attempt to augment the following lots with supplemental 

collections in summer 2004. 

Wyeth buckwheat (ERIHER1-BSE) Yarrow (ACHMIL2-BSE) 

Fernleaf biscuitroot (LODI11-B7) Tapertip hawksbeard (CRAC U10) 

Thurber needlegrass (ACHTHU2-BSE) 

Additional species and other source-identified lots will be collected for development of a seed 

bank for future distribution as dictated by BLM priorities and grower interest. Examples include 

Senecio multilobatus (SEMU B1), Viguiera multiflora (VIMU B3), Machaeranthera canescens, 

annual Epilobium and/or Gayophytum spp., and Eriogonum microthecum (ERMI1-BSE). We 

plan to continue in this direction over the next several years. Data collected will be used to 

develop publications and manuals and for incorporation into the web site in collaboration with 

the growers and Foundation Seed Program managers. 

2003 Products: 

- Research Joint Venture Agreement between RMRS and AOSCA signed November 2003. 

DeBolt, A. and N. Shaw. 2003. Cooperative native seed increase program (tri-fold color 

brochure). 

- Shaw, N., DeBolt, A., Jensen, S. and others. 2004. Cooperative native seed increase 

program. Society for Range Management annual meeting, Salt Lake City, UT (Trade Show 

poster). 

Presentations: 

- Interagency Plant Materials meeting, Reno, NV June 2003 

- National Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, Charleston, SC, July 2003 

- Nevada Wildland Seed Producers Association meeting, Fallon, NV, September 2003 

Table 1. Seed lots harvested in 2003 for AOSCA forb increase program 

Species Common name Lot no. Origin 

Lot 

weight 

(g) TZ (%) PLS 

No. live 

seeds 

No. 

acres 

Expected 

production 

(lbs) 

Achillea millefolium Western yarrow ACHMIL2-BSE-03 ID 29 83 0.02 52,115 0.58 52 

Achnatherum thurberiana Thurber needlegrass ACHTHU2-BSE-03 NV 23 59 0.02 3,094 0.07 13 

Balsamorhiza sagittata Arrowleaf balsamroot BASA U32-02 NV 735 75 1.10 48,660 0.20 18 

Crepis acuminata Tapertip hawskbeard CRAC U10-01 NV 110 30* 0.06 34,890 0.10 9.4 

Eriogonum heracleoides Wyeth buckwheat ERIHER1-BSE-03 ID 54 36 0.01 668 0.01 0.6 

E. umbellatum Sulfur buckwheat ERUM-09-03 NV 99 68 0.15 30,827 0.13 36 

Lomatium dissectum Fernleaf biscuitroot LOMDIS18-BSE-03 ID 536 87 0.91 80,445 0.19 53 

L. dissectum Fernleaf biscuitroot LODI11-B7-03 OR 138 63 0.18 15,672 0.04 10 

Penstemon speciosus Sagebrush penstemon PENSPE1-BSE-03 ID 166 83 0.25 109,495 0.25 62 

P. speciosus Sagebrush penstemon 

PENSPE9A-BSE03 OR 206 89 0.36 158,136 0.36 25 

Sphaeralcea munroana** Munro globemallow SPMU U14-03 UT 908 89 1.42 854,400 1.40 140 

* No data available; estimates based on similar or related species. 

** While BLM prefers Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia (gooseberry-leaf globemallow), S. munroana is the species currently available. 
31

Project Title: Increasing Seed Supplies of Native Grass and Forb 

 Releases for the Great Basin 

Project Location: Utah Crop Improvement Association 

Principal Investigator: Stanford A. Young 

Contact Information: Stanford Young, UCIA, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 

 84322-4855, 435.797.2082, fax 435.797.3376, 

 sayoung@mendel.usu.edu 

Description of Project: To improve the process for multiplication and distribution of early 

generation seed supplies of native grass and forb releases for the Great Basin. 

Project Implementation: 

UCIA will: 

a. Allocate/distribute/track seed of native plant accessions (provided by RMRS and other 

cooperating public agencies) to private seed growers utilizing the UCIA buy-back option 

seed increase agreement. 

b. Implement the official seed certification program (isolation requirements, field 

inspections, seed sampling, seed analysis) to maintain genetic identity and purity of the 

native plant accessions through the production process. 

c. Negotiate seed prices and execute buy-back option seed increase purchases from growers 

according to market prices and demand for additional seed production. 

d. Allocate and distribute this stock seed increase to secondary growers, utilizing the buyback agreement as necessary to obtain further seed stocks as needed. 

Status Summary:

1. A list of native forb seed shipments to Great Basin growers (Table 1). 

2. The Application for Stock Seed form is included in Appendix IV. 

3. A bulletin published by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, 

“The AOSCA Native Plant Connection”, is available from UCIA. The principle 

investigator for this project, Stanford Young, is the corresponding author of the 

AOSCA publication. It describes seed certification nomenclature and labeling for 

plant germplasm types and how the genetic origin and purity of a germplasm 

accession are maintained by third party official certifying agencies through field 

increase and marketing. 
32

Table 1. 2002 Seed lots shipped to growers for Buy-back Program 

Species Lot Number Origin 

Balsamorhiza hookeri BAHO B1-02 Indian Creek, ID 

Crepis acuminate CRAC U11-02 Prospect Springs 

Crepis acuminate CRAC U10-02 Coyote Hills 

Crepis acuminate CRAC U3-02 Mile marker 356 (I-80) 

Lomatium dissectum LODI B8-02 Brownlee, ID 

Lomatium dissectum LODI B7-02 Birch Creek, OR 

Lomatium dissectum LODI B14-02 Mountain Home, ID 

Lomatium triternatum LOTR B2-02 Johnson Hill, ID 

Penstemon acuminatus PEAC B4-02 King Hill, ID 

Penstemon acuminatus PEAC B1-01 Bruneau Sand Dunes, ID 

Penstemon cyaneus PECY B6-02 Richfield, ID 

Penstemon deustus PEDE B10-02 Hwy. 95, ID 

Penstemon deustus PEDE B11-02 Mesa Meadows, ID 

Penstemon pachyphyllus PEPA2 U6-99 Pine Hollow Canyon, UT 

Sphaeralcea munroana 

(sent as Spgr but later det. as Spmu) 

SPGR U14-02 South of Moab, UT 

Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia SPGR U19-02 West of Battle Mtn, NV 

Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia SPGR U13-01 Jct. Hwy. 191 & 211 

Tragopogon dubius TRDU U2-02 Lavon Jones, UT or NV origin 
Appendix I. Cooperative Great Basin native forb research. 

Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project Research and BLM Priority Species for Re

 Great Basin Project Research Related Research 

Family Species Common Name 

Selection & seed 

increase

1

Genetic variability

2

Pollinators

3

Seed zones 

SSL & UDWR 

releases

4

Seeded and s urc

genet

o e

ics

o Ba

5

USDA-ARS FRRL

6

Chicag otanic 

G rden

7

BLM GB Task Order

8

Apiaceae Lomatium dissectum Fernleaf biscuitroot SSL-B BBSL X L. grayi Gray's biscuitroot SSL-B L. macrocarpum Bigseed lomatium L. nuttallii Nuttall desert parsley UDWR L. triternatum Nineleaf biscuitroot SSL-B Achillea millefolium Western yarrow SSL Agoseris glauca Pale agoseris SSL-P Agoseris heterophylla Annual agoseris Antennaria spp. Pussytoes Antennaria microphylla Rosy pussytoes X Artemisia arbuscula Low sagebrush Artemisia nova Black sagebrush Artemisia tridentata tridentate Basin big sagebrush X A. tridentata vaseyana Mountain big sagebrush X A. tridentata wyomingensis Wyoming big sagebrush SSL X Balsamorhiza hookeri Hooker balsamroot X Balsamorhiza sagittata Arrowleaf balsamroot UDWR SSL BBSL X Chrysothamnus nauseosus X Crepis acuminata Tapertip hawksbeard UDWR SSL BBSL X C. occidentalis Longflower hawksbeard Erigeron spp. Old man in the spring Erigeron chrysopsidis Dwarf yellow fleabane Erigeron linearis Desert yellow fleabane Erigeron pumilus Shaggy fleabane SSL X 
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project Research and BLM Priority Species for Re

 Great Basin Project Research Related Research 

Family Species Common Name 

Selection & seed 

increase1

Genetic variability2

Pollinators3

Seed zones 

SSL & UDWR 

releases4

Seeded and source 

genetics5

USDA-ARS FRRL6

Chicago Botanic 

Garden7

BLM GB Task Order8

Lactuca spp. Lettuce Lygodesmia spp. Skeletonplant Macheranthera canescens Hoary aster X Microseris nutans Nodding microseris Stephanomeria spp. Wirelettuce Tragopogon dubius Yellow salsify SSL-P X Viguiera spp. Goldeneye Viguiera multiflora Showy goldeneye SSL Wyethia amplexicaulis Mule-ears Brassicaceae Schoencrambe linifolia 

Slenderleaf schoencrambe X 

Schoencramble speciosus Plains mustard X Capparidaceae Cleome lutea Yellow spiderflower C. serrulata 

Rocky Mountain beeplant 

Chenopodiaceae Atriplex canescens Four-wing saltbush SSL X Atriplex confertifolia Shadscale Atriplex torreyi Torrey's saltbush Krascheninnikovia lanata Winterfat Fabaceae Astragalus spp. Milkvetch Astragalus eremiticus Hermit milkvetch SSL-B 
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project Research and BLM Priority Species for Re

 Great Basin Project Research Related Research 

Family Species Common Name 

Selection & seed 

increase1

Genetic variability2

Pollinators3

Seed zones 

SSL & UDWR 

releases4

Seeded and source 

genetics5

USDA-ARS FRRL6

Chicago Botanic 

Garden7

BLM GB Task Order8

Astragalus filipes (A. stenophyllus) Threadstalk milkvetch FRRL BBSL Astragalus lentiginosus Freckled milkvetch X X Astragalus purshii Woollypod milkvetch X Astragalus utahensis Utah milkvetch SSL-P SSL Hedysarum boreale Boreal sweetvetch 

FRRL, 

SSL BBSL X X 

Lathyrus brachycalyx Rydberg sweetpea X Lotus utahensis Utah deervetch X Lupinus argenteus Silvery lupine SSL-P BBSL X Lupinus sericeus Silky lupine SSL-P SSL Lupinus wyethii Wyeth's lupine Trifolium macrocephalum Largehead clover T. variegatum Whitetip clover T. gymnocarpon Hollyleaf clover Vicia americana American vetch SSL X Liliaceae Allium acuminatum Tapertip onion X Calochortus macrocarpus Green-banded star tulip Calochortus nuttallii Sego lily Calochortus gunnisonii Gunnison's mariposa lily Linaceae Linum lewisii lewisii Blue flax SSL Linum perenne Blue flax SSL X Malvaceae 
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project Research and BLM Priority Species for Re

 Great Basin Project Research Related Research 

Family Species Common Name 

Selection & seed 

increase1

Genetic variability2

Pollinators3

Seed zones 

SSL & UDWR 

releases4

Seeded and source 

genetics5

USDA-ARS FRRL6

Chicago Botanic 

Garden7

BLM GB Task Order8

Sphaeralcea spp. Globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea Scarlet globemallow UDWR X S. grossulariifolia 

Gooseberryleaf globemallow UDWR SSL X 

S. munroana Munro's globemallow Poaceae Achnatherum hymenoides Indian ricegrass FRRL X Achnatherum speciosum Desert needlegrass Achnatherum thurberianum Thurber needlegrass SSL-P FRRL SSL Bromus carinatus California brome SSL Hesperostipa comata Needle and thread 

UDWR, 

SSL-P FRRL X 

Elymus elymoides Squirreltail FRRL E. elymoides brevifolius Squirreltail Elymus macrourus Thickspike wheatgrass Elymus wawawaiensis Snake River wheatgrass Leymus cinereus Basin wildrye UDWR FRRL X Pascopyrum smithii Western wheatgrass FRRL Poa secunda Sandberg bluegrass FRRL SSL Pseudoroegneria spicata Bluebunch wheatgrass UDWR FRRL SSL X Polemoniaceae Collomia linearis Narrowleaf collomia X Microsteris gracilis Slender phlox Phlox hoodii Hood's phlox P. longifolia Longleaf phlox SSL-P X 
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project Research and BLM Priority Species for Re

 Great Basin Project Research Related Research 

Family Species Common Name 

Selection & seed 

increase1

Genetic variability2

Pollinators3

Seed zones 

SSL & UDWR 

releases4

Seeded and s urc

genet

o e

ics

o B

a

5

USDA-ARS FRRL6

Chicag otanic 

G rden7

BLM GB Task Order8

Polygonaceae Eriogonum cernuum var. 

cernuum X 

Eriogonum microthecum var. laxiflorum X Eriogonum ovalifolium Cushion buckwheat UDWR X E. ovalifolium var. 

ovalifolium X 

E. umbellatum Sulfur-flower buckwheat SSL-B SSL BBSL E. vimineum Annual buckwheat X Rosaceae Purshia glandulosa Desert bitterbrush Purshia mexicana Mexican cliffrose Purshia stansburiana Stansbury cliffrose Purshia tridentata Bitterbrush SSL X Saxifragaceae Lithophragma bulbifera Bulbiferous prairiestar Lithophragma parviflora 

Small flowered fringe cup 

Scrophulariaceae Castilleja applegatei 

Wavyleaf Indian paintbrush 

Collinsia parviflora Blue-eyed Mary X Penstemon acuminatus Sharpleaf penstemon SSL-B P. cyaneus 
Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project Research and BLM Priority Species for Re

 Great Basin Project Research Related Research 

Family Species Common Name 

Selection & seed 

increase1

Genetic variability2

Pollinators3

Seed zones 

SSL & UDWR 

releases4

Seeded and s urc

genet

o e

ics

o B

a

5

USDA-ARS FRRL6

Chicag otanic 

G rden7

BLM GB Task Order8

P. deustus Scabland penstemon SSL-B P. deustus var. pedicellatus X P. pachyphyllus var. 

congestus X 

P. palmeri Palmer's penstemon SSL X P. rostriflorus X P. speciosus Sagebrush penstemon SSL-B SSL BBSL P. spectabilis Showy penstemon X 

1 FRRL = USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory (Johnson, Jones)  UDWR = Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (Thompson, Vernon, Walker)  SSL = USDA-FS-RMRS Shrub Sciences Laboratory, Provo and Boise (Shaw, Jensen, DeBolt) 2 SSL = McArthur  FRRL = Larson, Johnson 3 BBSL = USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory (Cane) 4 SSL, UDWR and cooperators 5 Durant McArthur, Shrub Sciences Laboratory, Provo (National Fire Plan Funding) 6 Doug Johnson and others, USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Laboratory, Logan 7 Andrea Tietmeyer, Chicago Botanic Garden (BLM funding) Lists provided by: 8 Mike Pellant, BLM, Great Basin Restoration Initiative Coordinator, Boise, Idaho 9 Julie Hilty, BLM, Botanist, Shoshone, Idaho 10 Ted Angle, BLM, Weed Program Coordinator, Nevada State Office, Reno, Nevada 

11 Jean Findley, BLM, Botanist, Vale, Oregon 12 Scott Lambert, BLM, Regional Seed Coordinator, Boise, Idaho 
Appendix II. Populations collected for isoenzyme and molecular genetic analysis. 

Species Locality County State

Collection 

No. Date Collected

Artemesia tridentate 

Top of Maple Canyon (source for Carr Ford Seeding) Sanpete Utah 2616 12-Aug-02 

Artemesia tridentate Carr Fork Wildlife Management Area Tooele Utah 2796 06-Jun-03 Artemisia tridentata Carr Fork Wildlife Management Area Tooele Utah 2797 06-Jun-03 Astragalus utahensis Wolverine Canyon Bingham Idaho 2715 15-May-02 Astragalus utahensis Jake's Valley White Pine Nevada 2572 29-May-01 Astragalus utahensis Mt. Moriah, Snake Range White Pine Nevada 2735 31-May-02 

Astragalus utahensis Orem Utah Utah 2700 30-Apr-02 Astragalus utahensis Carr Fork Wlildlife Management Area Tooele Utah 2795 03-Jun-03 

Atriplex canescens nevadensis Tonopah Nye Nevada 2730 30-May-02 Atriplex canescens occ. East Side of Panaca Lincoln Nevada 2721 17-May-02 Atriplex canescens occ. (native) Twist Hollow Wash Washington Utah 2725 17-May-02 Atriplex canescens occ. (seeded) Sand Pit Area, Twist Hollow Washington Utah 2724 17-May-02 Atriplex canescens pioche Wilson Creek Road Lincoln Nevada 2723 17-May-02 

Atriplex canescens, 2x Little Sahara Recreation Area, on dunes Juab Utah 2702 30-Apr-02 

Atriplex canescens, 4x Little Sahara Recreation Area, on flat Juab Utah 2704 01-May-02 

Atriplex canescens, 2x, angustifolia mi 26, US 380, 25 mi E. of San Antonio Corro 

NewMexico 2736 04-Jun-02 

Atriplex canescens vallis, 6x 

1/2 mi S of Bernardo (source for Grantsville—2831) Corro 2737

NewMexico 07-Jun-02 

Atriplex canescens 1 miles SE of Wales Sanpete Utah 2729 22-May-02 Atriplex canescens tooelensis East Side of Grantsville Tooele Utah 2831 19-Aug-03 Atriplex canescens, occ Grantsville Tooele Utah 2832 19-Aug-03 Atriplex canescens, occ (4x) 1 mile S of Grantsville Tooele Utah 2848 01-Sep-03 Atriplex canescens (6x) Near Grantsville, Utah Highway 138, I-80 West Exit Utah 2847 01-Sep-03 Atriplex canescens brevis 1 mi N. of East end of Cerro del Olla Taos 

NewMexico 2738 07-Jun-02 

Balsamorhiza sagittata Summit, Clear Creek Canyon, Exit 8, I-70 Sevier Utah 2806 03-Jun-03 Balsamorhiza sagittata Toiyabe Range, Toiyabe NF, near Austin Lander Nevada 2800 17-Jun-03 Balsamorhiza sagittata Boise Front Ada Idaho 2801 08-Jul-03 Bromus carinatus Broad Canyon, East Tintic Mountains Utah Utah 2578 17-Jul-01 

Bromus carinatus Little Valley, W. of Panguitch Garfield/Iron Utah 2615 09-Jul-02 Chrysothamnus nauseosus Near Orem Utah Utah 2617 12-Aug-02 Chrysothamnus nauseosus Box Springs, Henry Mountains Garfield Utah 2833 24-Aug-03 Chrysothamnus nauseosus Box Springs, Henry Mountains Garfield Utah 2834 24-Aug-03 
Chrysothamnus nauseosus Salt Creek Canyon (source for Box Springs) Juab Utah 2815 01-Sep-03 

Chrysothamnus nauseosus Near Ephraim Sanpete Utah 2618 12-Aug-02 Crepis acuminate Near Woodruff Oneida Idaho 2712 14-May-02 Crepis acuminate Jake's Valley White Pine Nevada 2571 29-May-01 Crepis acuminate Kingston Canyon, Toiyabe Range Lander Nevada 2731 30-May-02 Crepis acuminate Grouse Creek Mountains Box Elder Utah 2610 05-Jun-01 Crepis acuminate Below Black Rock Canyon, East Tintic Mountains Tooele Utah 2706 30-Apr-02 Crepis occidentalis Summit, Clear Creek Canyon, Exit 8, I-70, Sevier Sevier Utah 2807 03-Jun-03 Erigeron pumilis Crystal Ice Caves Road Power Idaho 2717 16-May-02 Erigeron pumilis Near Welcome Elko Nevada 2719 16-May-02 Erigeron pumilis Jake's Valley White Pine Nevada 2570 29-May-01 Erigeron pumilis Sheep Creek, Panguitch area Garfield Utah 2607 2001 Erigeron pumilis Topaz Mountain Juab Utah 2705 01-May-02 Erigeron pumilis Cedar Grove Wayne Utah 2611 11-Jul-01 Erigeron pumilis Below Black Rock Canyon, East Tintic Mountains Tooele Utah 2707 30-Apr-02 Erigonum umbellatum Crystal Ice Caves Road Power Idaho 2716 16-May-02 Erigonum umbellatum Underdown Canyon, Shoshone Mountains Lander Nevada 2573 31-May-01 Erigonum umbellatum Upper Indian Peaks WMA Beaver Utah 2612 2001 Erigonum umbellatum Upper Broad Cyn., East Tintic Mountains Utah Utah 2579 17-Jul-01 Erigonum umbellatum Lower Broad Cyn., East Tintic Mountains Utah Utah 2701 30-Apr-02 Erigonum umbellatum? Near Inkom Bannock Idaho 2714 15-May-02 Lupinus argenteus/sericeus Crystal Ice Caves Road Power Idaho 2718 16-May-02 Lupinus argenteus/sericeus Oak Springs Summit Lincoln Nevada 2720 16-May-02 Lupinus argenteus/sericeus Jake's Valley White Pine Nevada 2733 30-May-02 Lupinus argenteus/sericeus Lost Peak, Enterprise area Washington Utah 2608 31-Jul-01 

Lupinus argenteus/sericeus Near Eureka Utah Utah 2703 01-May-02 Lupinus argenteus/sericeus Jackson Ridge, La Sal Mountains San Juan Utah 2581 17-Jul-01 Oryzopsis hymenoides Moore Road Area, Swan Falls Ada Idaho 2802 08-Jul-03 Lupinus argenteus/sericeus Salt Cave Hollow, Salt Creek Canyon Juab Utah 2586 24-Jul-01 Purshia tridentate Wallsburg Burn Wildlife Management Area Wasatch Utah 2798 10-Jun-03 Purshia tridentate Wallsburg Burn Wildlife Management Area Wasatch Utah 2799 10-Jun-03 

Purshia tridentate 

Mt. Pleasant (Source for Wallsburg Burn Seeding) Sanpete Utah 2827 19-Aug-03 

Purshia tridentate Slaughter Flats San Juan Utah 2829 18-Aug-03 Purshia tridentate Preston (Source for Slaughter Flats) Franklin Idaho 2830 26-Aug-03 

Stipa comata N of Modena, just S. of State Highway 56 Iron Utah 2613 06-June-02 Stipa comata UDWR Horse Pasture, NW of Cisco Grand Utah 2614 11-June-02 

Stipa comata Jake's Valley White Pine Nevada 2732 30-May-02 Stipa comata Kanab Kane Utah 2791 06-May-03 
Stipa comata W. of Boulder Garfield Utah 2792 21-May-03 

Vicia Americana Egan Mountains White Pine Nevada 2734 31-May-02 Vicia Americana Lost Peak, Enterprise area Washington Utah 2609 31-Jul-01 

Vicia Americana Jackson Ridge, La Sal Mountains San Juan Utah 2580 17-Jul-01 Vicia Americana Road to South Hollow, Caanan Mountain Garfield Utah 2793 01-Jun-03 Vicia Americana Salt Cave Hollow, Salt Creek Canyon Juab Utah 2794 02-Jun-03 Vicia Americana Pinto Canyon, Pine Valley Mountain Washington Utah 2811 04-Jun-03 Vicia Americana Black Rock Canyon, East Tintic Mountains Tooele Utah 2814 18-Jun-03 

Viguiera multiflora Caselton Lincoln Nevada 2813 09-Jun-03 

Viguiera multiflora Rachel Lincoln Nevada 2569 11/31-May-01 

Viguiera multiflora Castleton Turnoff Lincoln Nevada 2722 17-May-02 Viguiera multiflora Broad Canyon, East Tintic Mountains Utah Utah 2575 17-Jul-01 

Viguiera multiflora Nebo Loop Road, Uinta NF Juab Utah 2825 28-Jul-03 Viguiera multiflora Great Basin Experimental Range Sanpete Utah 2826 28-Jul-03 
42
44

Appendix IV. 

UTAH CROP IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

Utah State University • 4855 Old Main Hill • Logan, UT 84322-4855 • (435) 797-2082 • fax (435) 797-3376 

e-mail: sayoung@mendel.usu.edu 

APPLICATION FOR STOCK SEED 

Grower/Company__________________________ Phone/Cell _____________________ 

Mailing Address __________________________ FAX __________________________ 

 __________________________ E-mail ________________________ 

Variety/Germplasm & Crop ____________________________________ Pounds _________ 

Acreage ______________ ( ) Dryland Proposed Planting Date ________________ 

 ( ) Irrigated 

Proposed Location of Field ____________________________ County ___________________ 

 (from nearest town) 

Does acreage meet land and isolation requirements? ___________________________________ 

(Refer to Seed Certification Requirements and Standards of appropriate seed certification agency) 

 I wish to obtain this stock seed to plant for the production of a class of certified seed. I have read 

the following statements of allocation, warranty, and seed increase. I accept the terms of the warranty 

and the contractual agreement regarding disposition of seed increase. 

Signed _______________________________ Date ____________________________ 

STATEMENTS OF ALLOCATION, WARRANTY, AND 

 SEED INCREASE FOR STOCK SEED

 I. ALLOCATION

 A. To ensure consideration by the allocation committee (UCIA and plant germplasm developers associated 

with the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station), due dates for applications are: (1) Spring planted varieties, 

February 20; (2) Late summer planted varieties, August 1; (3) Fall planted varieties, Sept. 15. Late or 

amended applications or requests for early allocation will be considered as inventory allows. 

B. Allocation to qualified certified seed producers will generally be on a first come-first served basis. 

However, stock seed demand for new varieties/germplasms may greatly exceed the sometimes small seed 

supply available. In these cases, growers/companies known to be potentially interested in stock seed will 

be notified of the opportunity to request an allocation. Those growers/companies qualified (see C below) 

will form a pool from which one or more (depending on the seed supply and best interests of the specific 

variety/germplasm) will be selected randomly by lottery. 

C. Allocation priority will be given to experienced seed growers with favorable soil and climatic conditions 

for the particular species. Those with small plot growing experience will be favored for new releases with 
45

extremely small amounts of seed available. Preference may be given to certified seed growers in Utah (for 

varieties/germplasms released by Utah state agencies) or certified seed growers in any state (for 

varieties/germplasms released by Federal agencies). 

 II. WARRANTY

 A. The Utah Crop Improvement Association (UCIA) warrants that stock seed produced under its contractual 

control has been produced, conditioned, and labeled in compliance with the UCIA Seed Certification 

Requirements and Standards. Stock seed distributed by UCIA but produced by another entity is 

accompanied only by the warranty from the originating entity. 

 B. Without limiting the foregoing, it is expressly agreed that UCIA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, 

as to seed quality or other factors affecting yield of the resultant crop. In any case, UCIA liability for loss 

shall be limited solely to the amount charged for the seed. 

III. SEED INCREASE CONTRACT

A. The grower agrees to plant the seed the season (see I.A.) following receipt of the seed, or return the seed 

promptly unless an extension is expressly granted by the UCIA. The grower also agrees to apply for 

certification for fields planted with stock seed, and to follow good agronomic practices and be in 

compliance with seed certification requirements and standards for stand establishment and seed production 

for the species. Specifically, progeny shall not be planted within the isolation distance of the stock seed 

field such that the stock seed field generation would be downgraded. 

B. For varieties applied for or granted Plant Variety Protection (Title 5), any seed crop for which certification 

is not completed as a class of Certified seed (whether due to field or seed rejection or grower decision) shall 

not be sold or otherwise distributed as seed. Such seed crop must be disposed of (with prior notification of 

UCIA) by mixing with a like commercial commodity or other method as agreed to by the UCIA. Other 

state certification agencies may act as agent for UCIA in this matter. 

 

 C. Check box that applies and initial here: Grower _____ UCIA ______ 

 ∼ In order to perpetuate desirable early generation seed lots, UCIA reserves first right to purchase 

quantities needed (up to 75% of the total production from the first and second harvest of the stand, 

50% thereafter) from selected fields planted with such lots. The price paid by UCIA is negotiable 

according to market prices for the particular kind and variety/germplasm within six months after 

harvest. However, the price paid by UCIA will not exceed 125% of the established market price or 

75% of the price per PLS pound charged the grower for the original seed, whichever is less. The 

UCIA shall be informed of seed quantity harvested within one week after harvest each year, and UCIA 

will inform the grower of seed quantity needed (cleaned or uncleaned) within one month after harvest. 

∼ As an alternate to the above, seed in some instances may be provided to the grower at no charge, but 

UCIA requires _____ pls pounds of seed returned to UCIA from the grower upon first harvest(s) of the 

variety/germplasm herein agreed to propagate. 

∼ No formal increase agreement required (stock seed supply currently adequate). 

IV. COMPLIANCE

 A. Stock seed not accepted under the terms of the warranty and the seed increase contract must be returned to 

UCIA at once in original unopened containers and the amount charged for the seed (less freight and 

handling costs) will be refunded. 

 B. Failure to abide by the terms of the seed increase contract may disqualify the grower from future 

allocations of stock seed and/or membership in the Utah Crop Improvement Association.