The  Benefit  of  Commercially  Produced  Ecotypic  na8ve  seed  

material  

Major  differences    

•  Gramas  (Blue,  Sideoats,  and  Black)  – Size    – Root  growth  – Growing  period  – Flowering  date    – Seed  maturity  

Sideoats  grama  

•  Bouteloua  cur+pendula  var.  caespitosa  grows  on  loose,  sandy  or  rocky,  well  drained  limestone  soils  in  the  southwestern  United  States,  Mexico,  and  South  America  

•  Bouteloua  cur+pendula  var.  cur+pendula  is  the  common  variety  of  B.  cur+pendula  in  most  of  the  Flora  region.  It  grows  on  rich,  loamy,  well-­‐drained  prairie  soils  

•  LiPle  bluestem  – Size  – Growth  period  – Flowering  date  – Seed  maturity  

Gene8c  diversity  vs.  Local  adapta8on?  

•  Gene8cally  diverse  – Able  to  adapt  to  a  wide  variety  of  condi8ons  – Environment  will  fine  tune  – More  Marketable  – Gene8cally  flood  local  popula8on  – Mixed  results  

– How  far  to  include  

Gene8c  diversity  vs.  Local  adapta8on?  

•  Locally  adapted  – BePer  adapted  to  local  environment  

–  Important  for  rare  species  – Limited  market  – Maintain  local  gene8cs    – Large  scale  produc8on  – How  close  do  you  need  to  be  

Gene8cs  overview  for  na8ve  plants  

•  High  species  level  varia8on  common  (across  area  of  adapta8on)  

•  High  within  popula8on  (local)  varia8on  common  •  Prairie  acacia,  4  flower  – Gene8cally  different  by  region  – OWen  caused  by  distance,  climate,  or  geographical  barriers  

•  But  not  all  species  are  gene8cally  diverse  –  Cordgrass  and  dalea  –  >50%  different  between  popula8ons  – No  difference  between  popula8ons  

•  26  plan8ngs  currently  evalua8ng  •  50%  successful  by  NRCS  standard  

•  65  varie8es  na8ve  and  non-­‐na8ve  •  7  na8ve  &  2  non-­‐na8ve  ≥  50%  canopy  cover  1  year  aWer  plan8ng  

Why  commercially  produced  seed?  

•  Seed  available  every  year  •  Increased  seed  quality  •  Increased  quan8ty  •  Less  poten8al  for  invasive  introduc8on  •  Regulated  industry  •  Lower  cost    •  Named  varie8es  with  know  origin  and  test  performance  are  oWen  available  

Slim  tridens  56  popula8ons-­‐wild  harvested  2001-­‐2003  (wet  years)  

0  

2  

4  

6  

8  

10  

12  

14  

16  

18  

No  germina8on   1-­‐9%   10-­‐19%   20-­‐29%   30-­‐39%   40-­‐49%   50-­‐59%   60%+  

Slim  tridens  56  popula8ons-­‐agronomically  grown  (2004  irrigated)  

0  

5  

10  

15  

20  

25  

30  

1-­‐9%   10-­‐19%   20-­‐29%   30-­‐39%   40-­‐49%   50-­‐59%   60-­‐69%   70-­‐79%   80-­‐89%   90-­‐100%  

Seed  Mixes  Cost  per  acre  

Variety/Species   Cost  per  acre  

Laredo  ®  Brand  Buffelgrass   $36.00  

Selec8on  75  Kleingrass   $25.50  

Turner  Seed  Company  pipeline  mix   $25.00  

Na8ve  American  Seed  Western  Rangeland  Grass  Mix  

$168  

Na8ve  American  Seed  Coastal  Prairie  Mix   $232.00  

Douglass  King  Seed  Company-­‐  Kings  Na8ve  Rangeland  Grass  Mix  

$150.00  

Bamert  Seed  Company-­‐  Quick  Cover  Blend   $76.30  

South  Texas  Na8ves  Recommended  Grass  Mixes  

$100.00  

STN/NRCS  Mix  for  Western  South  Texas   $60.00  

South  Texas  Na8ves  released  Seed  Mixes  

•  Cost      $60-­‐130/acre  •  Mixes  are  about  ½  cost  of  comparable  wild-­‐harvested  seed  mixes  

•  Cost  is  about  2-­‐3  8me  cost  of  exo8c  grass  seed  mixes  

Cost  Comparison  To  1961  

Species/variety   1961  cost   1961  cost  with  infla8on  added  for  today  

2011  cost  

Buffelgrass   $1.25   $9.19   $9.00  

Lehman  Lovegrass   $3.40   $25.01   $9.50  

Sideoats  Grama   $1.00   $7.35   $9.50  

Switchgrass   $13.80   $101.50   $16.00  

Catarina  Blend  Bristlegrass  

_   _   $26.00  

•  Today's  cost  are  high  due  to  early  stage  produc8on  cost  and  investment  into  new  species,  prices  are  expected  to  drop  as  produc8on  and  sales  increase  

•  Paying  more  for  what  works  saves  money  in  the  long  run  

•  Prices  have  already  seen  decreases  in  less  than  2  years  of  commercial  produc8on  

•  However-­‐demand  is  very  high  at  today’s  prices  

Summary  

•  Regional  Germplasm  •  Best  results  •  More  reliable  product  

•  Cost  effec8ve  •  Regulated  

• Important  considera8ons  for  seed  • Origin  (not  produc8on  or  sale  loca8on)  • Soil  type  • Ecoregion  

• If  you  use  wild-­‐harvest  seed:  • Require  a  PLS  value  • Require  a  purity  and  noxious  weed  exam  (beware  other  crops!)  • Cer8fica8on  program  for  source  iden8fied  exists  but  no  one  uses  it  

Acknowledgements  

STN  Sponsors  •  Texas  Department  of  Transporta8on  •  Lee  and  Ramona  Bass  Founda8on  •  Robert  J.  Kleberg  and  Helen  C.  Kleberg  

Founda8on  •  Harvey  Weil  Sportsmen  Conserva8onist  

Trust  •  ExxonMobil  •  ConocoPhillips  •  Pioneer  Natural  Resources  •  Caesar  Kleberg  Partners  •  A.E.  Leonard  Family  Giving  Counsel  •  Ewing  Halsell  Founda8on  •  Numerous  private  landowners  •  Will  Harte  

STN  Cooperators  

•  USDA  NRCS  E.  “Kika”  de  la  Garza  Plant  Materials  Center  

•  Texas  AgriLife  Research  Uvalde  

•  Rio  Farms,  Inc.