WCRC 2008 Native Plant Update

In 2008 the Western Colorado Research Center at Rogers Mesa completed our fifth native plant growing season.  We have grown over 20 species of native grasses, forbs, and shrubs over the last 5 years with varying levels of success.  Multiple species have produced large amounts of viable seed, but some promising species have proved to be short lived such as Western Yarrow and Bluestem Penstemon.  A few species did not adapt to a lower elevation or cultivated environment.  Mortality was highest in the grasses while some forbs grew into continuous rows due to increased plant size and multiplication. 

The WSARE Native Seed Production for Crop Diversification 3 year grant ended with the 2007 growing season.  Valuable data was collected and a full report can be found on the WSARE website, http://www.sare.org/reporting/report_viewer.asp?pn=SW04-087.  The UP Project provided funding in 2008 for continuing research on the Irrigation and Spacing Studies and select grass, forb, and shrub species. Over 500 lbs of seed was cleaned this winter, and the final yield data has been compiled from select clean seed yields from the life history plots as shown below in pounds of seed harvested when planted over one full acre.

2005-2008 yield lbs/ac          
 
lbs/ac
lbs/ac
Species
2005
2006
2007
2008
total yield
Grass
Bromus marginatus
3.59
50
53.59
Elymus elymoides
51.6
28.16
79.76
Elymus salinus
11.13
3.01
14.14
Koeleria macrantha
4.83
7.7
49.15
28.07
89.75
Poa fendleriana
4.03
3.75
7.78
Sporobolus cryptandrus
12.91
12.91
Stipa comata
1.15
2.18
2.43
5.76
Forb
0
Achillea lanulosa
263.78
1.21
264.99
Chaetopappa ericoides
280
280
Erigeron speciosus
178.64
26.4
67.76
272.8
Eriogonum flavum
230.38
215
445.38
Eriogonum umbellatum
65.34
268.9
677.6
1011.84
Hedysarum boreale
45.56
37.2
165.37
248.13
Linum lewisii
108.66
108.66
Lupinus sericeus
0
Penstemon comarrhenus
196.02
47.5
243.52
Penstemon cyanocaulis
74.81
61.16
135.97
Senecio multilobatus
1.52
4.91
295.72
302.15
Stenotus armerioides
5.08
Shrubs
Cercocarpus montanus  
3.33
3.33

 

 

The WCRC will continue to work with the UP Project in 2009 maintaining the Mountain Mahogany field at the Rogers Mesa site.  Three species of forbs were dormant planted late fall of 2008 at the Colorado State University Yellow Jacket Research Station outside of Cortez in the four corners region.  Dr. Ron Godin from the WCRC will work along with Dr. Abdel Berrada at the Yellow Jacket Station to complete life history and seed increase data collection.

To read the 2007 WCRC Report, click here.

Back to the Main UP Native Plant Program Page