Native forbs are an essential component of restoration efforts in the intermountain west, but are also frequently omitted from restoration seed mixes due to limited quantities of seed, lack of…

Native forbs are an essential component of restoration efforts in the intermountain west, but are also frequently omitted from restoration seed mixes due to limited quantities of seed, lack of appropriate seed sources, and prohibitive costs. In many cases, seed collected from forb species population in the wild is insufficient to meet restoration needs. Some species can be increased agronomically similar to agricultural crops when sufficient seed is available for establishing an increase field however, for many forb species there are no established growing guides, cultural practices, or instructions for harvesting and processing seed in production fields. The utah division of wildlife resources (UDWR) great basin research center (GBRC) has the infrastructure, equipment, and experience to further the work of developing propagation protocols and growing guidelines for priority native forb species in the great basin and colorado plateau. Using seed provided by the bureau of land management (BLM) and other sources, propagation protocols can be developed in the greenhouse and lab, and cultural practices can be developed on the GBRC research farm. Standard protocols of varying temperatures and durations will be used in the lab to determine stratification and scarification needs of species. Field trials will use a replicated split-plot design, three irrigation regimes and a variety of herbicides applied to each plot, and effects on plant vigor and seed production will be measured. Appropriate herbicides will be screened in greenhouse trials prior to field studies. Seed harvested from the beds will be used to develop seed cleaning protocols and will subsequently become available for further research or additional production by the BLM. In addition to the need for increased knowledge, there is a recognized lack of specialized cleaning and storage capacity in the development and use of native species. The GBRC already has warehousing and limited cleaning capacity, but the increased cleaning and storage capacity requested to support this project can be made available to assist other native plant material projects through additional agreements and contracting. Information gained through both the formal research and informal increase efforts will be published on the native plant network propagation protocol database, included in annual progress reports for the BLM, presented at regional and national meetings, and submitted to scientific journals for publication when appropriate. Developing and sharing methods, and increasing the cleaning and storage infrastructure in support of producing local native forb seed in useful quantities will ultimately benefit restoration efforts throughout the great basin and colorado plateau. Benefits of the increased availability of locally sourced forbs include efforts to diversify invaded plant communities, create breeding and nesting habitat for sage grouse, provide valuable forage for wildlife and livestock, improve pollinator habitat, restore landscapes damaged by wildfires, and generally improve the overall health and resilience of landscapes for sustained multiple uses.