Establishment and Seed Production of Native Forbs Used for Restoration Jessica Wiese Montana State University Fabian Menalled, Bruce Maxwell, James Jacobs, Susan Winslow
Why wildflower management? High value crop with very specific management - $ per lb, depending on species Importance of ecological diversity - Seed mixes typically grasses - Open niche - Ecological services of diversity
High demand for restoration and seed production National Parks and severely disturbed sites
RestorationProduction
Factors affecting establishment Seed viability Seed germination Source of seed Weed competition Herbicide response
Objectives Compare effects of pre- and post-emergence herbicides on wildflower seedling establishment, injury, and seed production Evaluate effects of each herbicide on weed control Assess the economics of weed management
Components greenhouse post pre field
Wildflower species: 5 wildflower species: Dalea candida Gaillardia aristata Phacelia hastata Penstemon eriantherus Ratibida columnifera White prairieclover Blanketflower Silverleaf phacelia Fuzzytongue penstemon Prairie Coneflower
Greenhouse herbicide screening Identify pre- and post-emergent herbicides that do not cause seedling damage
Pre-emergence screening 5 soil applied pre-emergent herbicide Dacthal WP (DCPA), Spartan (sulfentrazone), Aatrex (atrazine), Surflan (oryzalin), Treflan, (trifluralin) Randomized split-plot with four replications Living seedlings per row, leaves formed per seedling, height, dry weight
Pre emergence results P <0.0001
Post-emergence screening 7 products Lorox (linuron), Permit (halosulfuron), Prowl (pendimethalin), Plateau (imazapic), Fusilade (fluazifop P-butyl), Envoy (clethodim), Stinger (clopyralid)
Post-emergence screening Four rates: 0, 1/3, 2/3, full Completely randomized design 2 soil types Wildflower injury, density, wet and dry weights
Ratibida columnifera Control Stinger
Penstemon erianthus
Dalea candida ControlStinger
Gaillardia aristata Permit Control
Phacelia hastata Control Plateau
Conclusions - greenhouse PRE Treflan and Dacthal least injurious to most species POST No herbicides show significant change for density or biomass - penstemon, plateau - density, rate PRE and POST Wildflower species showed varied tolerance to herbicides Preliminary study Not labeled
Field Study Huge climatic variation How can we manage weed competition?
Study Sites BozemanBridger
Site Properties Bridger Bozeman silt loamy - loess Temp: 38 ° F Precip 15.2” Frost Free 110 days Elevation ~5,000 sandstone, and shale; and alluvium Temp: 44.6° F Precip 11” Frost Free days Elevation~3,700 Fallowed in 2006
Experimental design Wildflower species – 5 Herbicide trts – 12 Hand weeding - 2 Split-split-plot seeded in October 2006
Rep 1Rep 2Rep 3 8 rows planted per species 12 treatments random within each species Weeded, unweeded
Is herbicide enough? Economic threshold Timing of herbicide application Gaillardia BozemanGaillardia Bridger
Weed Management Economically evaluate hand weeding Determine which is most effective -Integrated weed management -Combined management for highest yield?
Herbicide Treatments (12) Treflan + Prowl Prowl Treflan + Permit Permit Treflan + Plateau PlateauLorox Treflan + Lorox No herb, weeding No herb, no weeding
Data gathering: Herbicide injury evaluated at time of spraying, 3 weeks, and 2 months later Crop and weed: density and cover Seed production and viability Timed hand weeding ANOVA
Blanketflower-plateauBlanketflower-control
Coneflower-controlConeflower-plateau
Treflan effects
Preliminary results, Bridger P<0.0001
Preliminary results, Bridger P<0.0001
Preliminary conclusions Treflan and Plateau effects are different from greenhouse to field Growth rates of wildflower species makes it difficult to spray at same time Weeds establish prior to wildflower emergence making proper timing a challenge
RestorationProduction
Acknowledgements Montana State University MT Seed Stock Foundation USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
Questions?