ARS | Publication request: New Range Plants, Their Adaptations and Uses

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: March 28, 2010
Publication Date: April 5, 2010
Citation: Jensen, K.B., Waldron, B.L., Peel, M., Robins, J.G., Jones, T.A. 2010. New Range Plants, Their Adaptations and Uses. Meeting Proceedings in 32nd Annual Range and Livestock Workshops, Arizona/Utah. April 6th, Kanab, UT and April 7th, Hurricane, UT. 2010. p. 34-40.

Technical Abstract: It has been estimated that cheatgrass has displaced around 10 million ha of perennial vegetation within the Great Basin. The control of cheatgrass without replacement by desirable perennial species results in the reestablishment of cheatgrass or other noxious weeds on disturbed rangeland. Rapid seedling establishment is the key to a successful revegetation planting in the western U.S. New plant materials developed at the Forage and Range Research Laboratory provide land managers with cultivars that establish quicker and persist longer under semiarid conditions. New cultivar Hycrest II crested wheatgrass and Vavilov II Siberian wheatgrass are inteneded for use on arid and semiarid rangelands as a rapid establishing grass in the Intermountain Region and Northern Great Plains of western U.S. The cultivar Bozoisky II Russian wildrye, has increased seedling establishmenbt characteristics and is intended for use on arid and semiarid rangelands receiving above 8 inches of annual precipitation as a revegetation and winter forage grass. Rapid seedling establishment characterizes the cultivar FirstStrike slender wheatgrass intended for use on arid and semiarid rangelands as a rapid establishing revegetation grass. Other new cultivars with increased seedling establishment include Recovery western wheatgrass, Mustang Altai wildrye, White River Indian ricegrass, Discovery Snake River wheatgrass, and Continental basin wildrye.