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RANGELAND SPECIES GERMINATION
THROUGH 25 AND UP TO 40 YEARS OF
WAREHOUSE STORAGE
Richard Stevens
Kent R. Jorgensen
ABSTRACT
be stored. Germinability of each species will affect the
seeding rate.
Germination data of some range grasses stored anumber of years have been reported (Hafenrichter and others
1965; Little 1937; Tiedemann and Pond 1967). However,
longevity germination studies of wildland shrubs and
forbs have been somewhat limited. Springfield (1968, 1970,
1973, 1974) worked with germination and longevity of
stored winterfat (Ceratoides lanata) and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) seed. Longevity reports on germination of stored winterfat (Stevens and others 1977)
and antelope bitterbrush CPurshia tridentata) seed (Giunta
and others 1978) have been made.
Plummer and others (1968) listed the duration of good
viability for 44 shrubs, 24 forbs, and five grasses. Plummer
and others (1970) also reported germination results after
relatively short periods of storage on seed of a number of
native shrubs and forbs. Two works from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (1948, 1974) included information on germination and longevity studies
for native trees and shrubs. Van Haverbeke (1989) reported on viability of 20-year-old ponderosa pine CPinus
ponderosa) seed. Kay and others (1984) reported on germination of seed of 22 Mojave desert shrub species following 9 years of storage. Kay and others (1988) ran germination tests on seed of 115 desert grasses, forbs, and
shrubs that had been stored for up to 14 years.
Seed of rangeland species in the Intermountain West
are commonly stored in open, unheated, and uncooled
warehouses and granaries, sometimes for extended periods. Little information is available as to the length of life
of many warehouse-stored rangeland seeds.
Germination results are presented from seed stored in
UT, for 19 shrub,
16 forb, and three grass species for 26 years, and 12 shrub,
20 forb, and 29 grass species for 0 to 40 years. Germination, longevity, and afterripening are discussed for each
species and group of species through various periods of
storage. Each species exhibited its own unique germination characteristics that varied with source and age of
seed. Some .species' viability increased with increasing
age while others decreased with age.
an open warehouse in Sanpete County,
INTRODUCTION
In 1981 Stevens and others published seed germination
data for· 32 shrub and forb species stored in an open warehouse through 15 years. These data along with 20 and 25
years germination data for seed of the same species and
sources and six additional species are included in this report. In addition, germination results are given for 61
shrub, forb, and grass species with 0 to 40 years of storage.
A limiting factor to range rehabilitation can be the
availability of quality seed of desired species at affordable
prices. With most wildland species good seed crops are
not produced every season: seed needs to be obtained in
good years and stored until needed. It is not uncommon
to store commercially produced seed. Seed may have to
be stored for a few months to many years. Utah State
law requires that marketed grass seed be tested every 18
months, and forb and shrub seed every 9 months. These
requirements can differ by State. Rules and procedures
for testing seed have been established for many wildland
species (Stevens and Meyer 1990). Stored seed is generally not tested on a regular basis or prior to seeding when
used by the person or agency storing it. Some species possess considerable afterripening, with maximum germinability not reached for a number of years following collection. Some species do not retain viability well, while
others experience little change over long periods of storage.
To obtain maximum seeding results and maximum return
of dollars spent, it becomes imperative to know germinability over years and how long a species can or should
METHODS
Study 1: Germination Through 20 Years of the
Same Seed Sources-During the fall of 1963, current
seed of 19 shrub, 16 forb, and three grass species (table 1)
were hand-collected from native stands or purchased from
commercial sources. Seed was commercially or handcleaned to 85 percent purity or higher, placed in cotton
bags, and deposited in metal file cabinets in an open warehouse in Ephraim, Sanpete County, UT, for the duration
of the study. Over 25 years (1963-88), temperature in the
warehouse ranged from a low of -29.9 to a high of 38.3
Mean daily temperatures during winter, spring, summer,
and fall periods were -3.3, 6.7, 20, and 7.2 °0, respectively.
Germination tests on the stored seed were conducted
in February of 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1978,
1983, and 1988. These dates marked the beginning of the
oc.
Paper presented at the Symposium on Ecology, Management, and Restoration of Intermountain Annual Rangelands, Boise, m, May 18-22, 1992.
Richard Stevena is Project Leader and Research Biologist, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Ephraim, UT 84621. Kent R. Jorgensen is Assistant Project Iader and Research Biologist, Utah Division of Wildlife
Resources, Ephraim, UT 84627.
257
Table 1-Mean percentage germination of seed from 38 shrub, forb, and grass species after 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years in
storage in an open, unheated, and uncooled warehouse
Species
Common name
Source
2
3
4
5
Years of storage
7
10
15
20
25
------------------------PeroentgenninaNod------------------------Shrubs:
Amelanchier aln/folia
Saskatoonsennoebeny
Ame/anchier utahensls
Utah sennceberry
Artemisia nova
Black sagebrush
Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata
Basin big sagebrush
Atrlplex canfJSCBns
Fourwirig saltbush
Ceanothus martini/
Martin ceanothus
Ceratoldes lanata
Winterfat
Cercocarpus ledlfollus
Curlleaf mountain-mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus
True mountain-mahogany
Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp.
holo/eucus
White rubber rabbltbrush
Cowan/a stansburlana
Cliffrose
Ephedra nevadensls
Nevada ephedra
Ephedra vir/dis
Green ephedra
Gray/a brandegel
Spineless hopsage
Peraphyllum ramoslsslmum
Squawapple
Pui'Shla g/andulosa
Desert bitterbrush
Purshla tridentata
Antelope bltterbrush
Ribas aureum
Golden currant
Symphor/carpos oreophllus
Mountain snowberry
Forbs:
Ba/samorhlza macrophylla
Cutleaf balsamroot
Balsamorhlza saglttata
Arrowleaf balsamroot
Erlogonum herac/eoldes
Wyeth erlogonum
Hedysarum boreale
Utah sweetvetch
Herac/eum lanatum
Cowparsnlp
UgusNcum porter/
Porter ligusticum
Unum perenne
Lewis flax
LomaNum kingii
Nuttalllomatium
Spring City
Canyon, UT
Henrieville,
UT
Manti,
UT
Ephraim,
UT
Panaca,
NV
Manti Canyon,
UT
Corona,
NM
Mayfield,
UT
Ephraim Canyon,
UT
Richfield,
UT
American Fork,
UT
Wah-Wah Valley,
UT
Manti,
UT
Escalante,
UT
Ephraim Canyon,
UT
Bishop,
CA
Mt. Den,
UT
Manti,
UT
Spanish Fork
Canyon, UT
Bountiful,
UT
Paradise Valley,
NV
Brigham City,
UT
Orem,
UT
Pleasant Creek
Canyon, UT
Ephraim Canyon,
UT
Ephraim,
UT
Ephraim Canyon,
UT
91
80
91
285-
97
99
99
81-
66
55-
73
82
32
72
76-
96
90-
67-
5
0
34-
5
1
0
0
0
67
70-
24-
0
0
0
47
40
40
50
43
37-
18
11
3
5
5
12
10+
40
36-
5
6
90
83
74-
18
7
0
0
0
0
67
63
80
76
69
64-
44
28
63
65
61
68-
46-
25-
3
0
0
80-
65-
34-
14
11-
7
0
0
0
89
89
84
89
91-
66
63
•so*+
8
0.3
90
93
91
85
89
91
85-
79
77
88
92
92
84
80
82
88-
24
2
87
92
86-
57-
13
6
0
0
0
42
42
42
37
39-
21
10
78
86
80
80
69
73
65
61
60
79*+
86
87
94
88
88
85
84-
74
27-
6
2
0
80-
44-
8
10
8
20-
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
48
28-
0
80
64
35
28-
40
42
37-
20
51*+
87
90-
64-
16-
59
67
58
55-
25
40
16
11
21
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
7
8-
92
17
5
0
41
28
24
36-
13
0
0
0
0
66*
72*+
85
93
83
70-
25
8
0
69
73
73-
37-
8
2
0
0
(con.)
258
Table 1 (Con.)
Species
Common name
Source
2
3
4
5
Years of storage
7
10
15
20
25
------------------------Peroentgennlna6o~-------------------------
Forbs: (Con.)
Luplnus slpestrls
Mountain lupine
Luplnus ssricsus
Silky lupine
Penstemon palmer/
Palmer penstemon
Medlcago sativa
Alfalfa 'Rambler'
same + hard seed
Sangulsorba minor
Smallbumet
Sphaerslcsa grossulari'lfolla
Gooseberry globemallow
Tragopogon porrifolius
Vegetable oyster salsify
Vlgulsra multiflora
Showy goldeneye
Ephraim Canyon,
UT
Ephraim Canyon,
UT
Ephraim Canyon,
UT
Canada
58
n
69
60-
26
28
13
6
97
99
100
99-
86
85
92-
75
83
81
79-
65
50
69
76
75
75
70
n
92
95
94
93
91
92
96-
79
82
7
6
9
65
66
17
sa·+
Ephraim,
UT
Benmore,
7
UT
Mt Pleasant,
65
UT
Ephraim Canyon. 18
UT
76
0
66
73
67
86-
71
87
88
78
69+
83
6
7
6
66-
46
31-
13
0
0
11
13
13-
0
0
0
63
13
1
71
2
01'88888:
Agropyron lntsrmedlum
Intermediate wheatgrass
Bromus lnsnnls
Smooth brome
Ssca/8 C8f'6SI8
Winter rye
Washington
95
96
93
94
80
78-
Colorado
70
71-
52
39-
15
11
3
1
0
Idaho
89
88
82
75-
56
48
32-
2
0
'Results based on four samples of 100 seeds each at 100 percent purity.
Llndlcates significant decrease In germination between adjoining years at CP < 0.05).
significant Increase in germination between adjoining years at CP < 0.05) •
.,.Indicates significant afterrfpenJng at CP < 0.05).
1+1ndlcates
second,tbird,fo~,~,seven~,10~,15~,2oth,and
25~ year of storage following harvest. For each species
Study 3: Germination of Various Seed Sources over
1"' Years-Seeds of six shrub, eight forb, and 20 grass
species (table 3) were placed in paper bags and stored for
1 to 40 years in the open warehouse described in study 1.
Some species had various sources of seed with various
years of storage. Seed selection and germination tests
were carried out as described in study 1, with the exception that a few sources had sufficient seed for only two
100-seed samples.
in each year of sampling, four random samples of 100
seeds each were selected and individually placed between
damp papers, wrapped in plastic, and placed in a refrigerator. Temperature in ~e refrigerator ranged between
1.1 and 3.3 °C. Care was taken to ensure that only undamaged seed with good fill was selected and used. Results are based on 98 percent fill and 100 percent purity
for all species except fourwing saltbush (52 percent fill)
and Martin ceanothus (Ceanothus martinii) (59 percent
fill). Seed samples were checked at 14-day intervals. All
germinated seeds were removed and the number that had
germinated was recorded. Seed samples remained in an
unlighted refrigerator for the duration of the study. Germination checks were made on schedule for up to 16
months. Seeds were considered germinated when the
hypocotyllength reached 5 mm. Data were subjected
to analysis of variance with SAS (SAS 1982).
STUDY 1 RESULTS
Germination and retention of viability varied between
species, sources within a species, and years of storage
(table 1). Two species, desert bitterbrush (Purshia glandulosa) and 'Rambler' alfalfa (Medicago sativa), did not
significantly (P < 0.05) lose any germinability with 25
years of storage. Working with desert bitterbrush, Kay
and others (1988) had little loss of germination in 6 years.
Antelope bitterbrush seed germination did not decrease
significantly for 20 years and only dropped to 74 percent
between 20 and 25 years. Nevada ephedra (Ephedra
nevadensis) had a significant loss between 15 and 20
years but retained acceptable germination of 77 percent
Study 2: Germination of the Same Seed Source
Following Collection and 6 to 16 Years Later-For
six shrub, 12 forb, and nine grass species (table 2), two
100-seed samples were taken from freshly collected seed
and from seed of the same lots 5 to 15 years later. Seed
storage, selection, germination tests, and data analysis
were made as described in study 1.
259
Table 2-Percentage germination of the same seed source for shrubs, forbs, and grass seed, comparing freshly collected seed and seed
with various years of storage In an open warehouse
Species
Common name
0
5
6
7
8
Years of storage
10
9
11
12
13
14
15
···-·--·-·····-·--·······-···-·Pe~ntgerminaUon'-·--·-·-----··------··------····
Shrubs:
Berberis repens
Oregon-grape
Caragana arborescsns
Siberian peashrub
Lonlcsra tatarlca
Honeysuckle
Psraphy/lum ramoslsslmum
Squawapple
Peraphy/lum ramoslsslmum
Squawapple
Shepherd/a argentea
Silver buffaloberry
Forbs:
Astragalus clcer
Cicer milkvetch
Astragalus clcer
Cicer mllkvetch
Astragalus gal9glformis
Giant astragalus
Coron/1/a varia
Crownvetch
Osmorhlza occldentalis
Sweetanise
Penstemon eaton//
Eaton penstemon
Psnstsmon eatonil
Eaton penstemon
Penstemon palmeri
Palmer penstemon
Penstemon platyphy/lus
Thlckleaf penstemon
Penstemon spectabilis
Showy penstemon
Vlgulsra multiflora
Showy goldeneye
Vlgu/sra muH/f/ora
Showy goldeneye
Gra8888:
Agropyron slongatum
Tall wheatgrass
Agropyron elongatum
Tall wheatgrass
Agropyron elongatum
Tall wheatgrass
Bromus lnermus
Smooth brome
Festuca elaUor
Meadow fescue
Muhlenb8rgla wrlghtii
Splkemuhly
Oryzopsls hymenoides
Indian ricegrass
Oryzopsls hymsnoldes
lncfian ricegrass
Stlpa comata
Needle-and-thread
25
23
88
85
57
~
31
67
49
58
58
85
88
51*
4+
8
89
73
65
88
89
41*
70
+
94
44
71*
+
87
63*
+
82
89
82
74
68
30*
+
+
+
75
44
39
0
72*
91
+
85
87
85
92
91
94
69*
+
14*
+
9*
+
99
62
49
55
88
83
83
'Results based on two samples of 100 seeds each at 100 percent purity.
'-Indicates significant decrease In germination between germination years at {p < 0.05).
,.Indicates significant afterripenlng at {p < 0.05).
4
+1ncfic:ates significant Increase In germination between germination years at {p < 0.05).
260
Table 3-Seed germination of selected species with 0 to 40 years of storage. Seed of the same species may not be from the same source
Species
Common name
1
2
5
6
7
8
Years of storage
9
10
13
14
15
16
17
1
Shrubs:
Atrlplex hymenelytra
Desert holly
Atrlplex lentiformls
Big saltbush
Caragana pygmaea
Pygmy peashrub
Csanothus cuneatus
Wedgeleaf ceanothus
Csanothus fBndlerl
Fendler ceanothus
Colutea arborBSC6ns
Bladdersenna
Forbs:
Erodlum clcutar/um
AHUeria
Mfldicago sativa
Alfalfa
MeO/otus officina/Is
Yellow sweetclover
Onobtychls sativa
Sainfoln
Osmorhlza occ/dentalls
Sweetanlse
Penstemon eaton//
Eaton penstemon
Penstemon platyphyl/us
Hillside penstemon
Pentstemon subglsber
Smooth penstemon
01'88888:
Agropyron crlstatum
Fairway wheatgrass
Agropyron d8S8rtorum
Crested wheatgrass
Agropyron slbiricum
Siberian wheatgrass
Agropyron spicatum
Bluebunch wheatgrass
Agropyron trichophorum
Pubescent wheatgrass
A/opecurus arundlnaCBus
Reed foxtail
Alopecurus pratensls
Meadow foxtail
Bromus e1'8Ctus
Meadow brome
Dactyl/s glomerata
Orchardgrass
Festuca elatior
Meadow fescue
FBStuca ovina
Sheep fescue
FBStuca rubra
Red fescue
Koe/er/a cristata
Prairie junegrass
Lolium perenne
Perennial ryegrass
---------------------------------Pe~ntgennlna~n ---------------------------------
57
92
67
85
63
27
37
45
(40 years. 90)
86
95
59
84
92
27
52
34A
88
86
68
58
52
95
41
39
96
8
91
38
95
94
86
47
97
86
91
91
96
(30 years. 44)
82
89
73
82
89
63
41
72
40
95
93
(con.)
261
40
Table 3 (Con.)
Species
Common name
1
2
5
6.
7
8
Years of storage
9
10
13
14
15
16
17
1
···········---··---···--·--·-----Pe~ntgennlnaUon --·--·---------------------------
Graases: (Con.)
Ph/sum pratsnss
Timothy
Poabulbosa
Bulbous bluegrass
Psalhyrostachys juncsus
Russian wildrye
Secale montsnum
Mountain rye
Sporobo/us alroldss
Alkali sacaton
Sporobolus columbiana
Subalpine needlegrass
98
8
99
82
23
88
50
99
63
1
Results basad on two or four samples of 100 seeds each.
Utah sweetvetch and 3 years for Lewis flax and vegetable
oyster salsify. Kay and others (1988) reported Palmer
penstemon had slightly longer viability.
Golden currant CRibes aureum), spineless hopsage
(Grayia branclegei), and winterfat germination dropped
significantly after 4 years of storage; cowparsnip (Jleracleum lanatum), cutleafbalsamroot (Balsamorhiza macrophylla), and smooth brome (Bromus inermis) after 3 years;
black sagebrush (Artemesia nova) (llld white rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. hololeucus) after
only 2 years. Kay and others (1988), working with Mojave
desert accessions, had similar results with white rubber
rabbitbrush but less retention of viability with winterfat.
Stevens and others (1977) reported similar results with
winterfat. Springfield, (1968, 1973, 1974), working in
New Mexico, found that winterfat would lose viability
rapidly unless it was stored in a cold environment.
Alfalfa viability is a combination of hard and germinated
seed. Hard seed is viable seed that does not absorb water
nor germinate during the germination test. 'Rambler'
alfalfa seed germination percentage did not significantly
· change over 25 years. However, germination percentage
of hard seed did significantly decrease between the lOth
and 15th year of storage.
Five species showed considerable afterripening by demonstrating a significant increase in germination with age.
Antelope bitterbrush, cliffrose, small burnet, and Wyeth
eriogonum germinability increased to the third year and
Lewis flax to the fourth year after harvest. Kay and others (1988) demonstrated a similar increase in cliffrose germination over the first 3 years.
with 25 years. Nevada ephedra seed stored in a warehouse in California lost significant germination after the
first year, but seed stored at -15 oc did not lose germination with 14 years of storage (Kay and others 1988). Silky
lupine (Lupinus sericeus) and small burnet (Sanquisorba
minor) germination decreased significantly between 5 and
7 years. However, they had 76 and 83 percent germination, respectively, after 25 years.
Cliffrose (Cowania stansburiana), curlleafmountainmahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), fourwing saltbush,
green ephedra (Ephedra viridis), Nevada ephedra, and
gooseberry globemallow (Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia)
exhibited a significant loss in germination between 15 and
20 years. In work in California with clifftose and green
ephedra, Kay and others (1988) obtained results similar
to the above. Springfield (1970), working with fourwing
saltbush, had a 50 percent loss of germination over 15
years. Utah serviceberry (Amelanch~r utahensis), Lewis
flax (Linum perenne), and intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium) retained acceptable germination for
10 to 15 years.
Mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus),
Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanch~r alnifolia), true
mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus), squawapple
CPeraphyllum ramosissimum), and showy goldeneye
(Vi&uiera multiflora) had a significant loss in germination
between the seventh and lOth year of storage.
Basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata), arrowleafbalsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata),
silky and mountain lupine (Lupinus alpestris), Nuttall
lomatium (Lomatium nuttallii), Palmer penstemon (Penstemon palmeri), Porter ligusticum (Ligusticum porteri),
small burnet, Utah sweetvetch (lledysarum boreale), vegetable oyster salsify (Tragopogon po"ifolius ), Wyeth eriogonum (Eriogonum heracleoides), and winter rye (Secale
cereale) retained consistent germination for 5 to 7 years.
Duration of good viability was listed by Plummer and others (1968) as 5 years for arrowleafbalsamroot, Palmer
penstemon, Porter ligusticum, Nuttalllomatium, and
STUDY 2 RESULTS
Germination tests of new and several-year-old seed of
20 species, six of which had more than one accession, produced variable results (table 2). Eight species exhibited
considerable afterripening. One source of tall wheatgrass
(Agropyron elongatum) had 19 percent more germination
262
with 9-year-old seed than from new seed. However, two
other sources had no significant change in germination
over 9 years. New seed of meadow fescue CFestuca elatior)
exhibited 69 percent germination and 8 years later, 99
percent. Spike muhly CMuhlenbergia, wrightii) germination went from 14 to 62 percent in 7 years. For one source
of Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), 14 years after
harvest, germination increase4 from 9 to 49 percent. Another source with only 10 years storage had no significant
change in germination. One source of cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer) went from 51 to 89 percent germination
in 7 years. A second source, however, had no significant
change in germination with 8 years of storage. Crownvetch (Coronilla varia) seed showed a significant increase
in germination from 41 to 70 percent in 8 years. In two
accessions of Eaton penstemon (Penstemon eatonii), germination significantly increased over 13 years. One went
from 71 to 87 percent and the second from 63 to 82 percent. Showy penstemon (P. spectabilis) exhibited a significant increase in germination from 30 to 75 percent in
lOyears.
Germination percentage did not significantly change
in accessions of 11 species: Oregon-grape (Berberis repens)
(25 to 23 percent in 13 years), Siberian peashrub (Caragana arborescens) (88 to 85 percent in 6 years), one source
of squawapple (no change in 7 years), silver bu1faloberry
(Shepherdia argentea) (85 to 88 percent in 9 years), cicer
milkvetch (72 to 85 percent in 9 years), Astragalus galegiformis (88 to 89 percent in 7 years), Palmer penstemon
(89 to 82 percent in 13 years), thickleaf penstemon (J'enstemon platyphyllus) (74 to 68 percent in 14 years), tall
wheatgrass from two sources (85 to 87 percent and 85 to
92 percent in 9 years), smooth brome (91 to 94 percent
in 5 years), and Indian ricegrass (55 to 63 percent in 10
years).
Only five species exhibited significant loss in germination percentage over their indiVidual storage periods: honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) (57 to 49 percent in 12 years),
squawapple (67 to 49 percent in 8 years), sweetanise
(Osmorhiza occidentalis) (94 to 44 percent in 13 years),
showy goldeneye from two sources (44 to 1 percent in 15
years, 39 to 0 percent in 13 years), and needle-and-thread
(Stipa comata) (88 to 63 percent in 8 years).
arborescens) showed little difference in germination with
1-year-old (45 percent) and 10-year-old (38 percent) seed.
All of the tested forb seed showed considerable longevity. Forty-year-old seed of alfileria (Erodium cicutarium)
exhibited 90 percent germination, alfalfa 86 percent with
15-year-old seed, and yellow sweetclover CMelilotus o/ficinalis) 59 percent with 13-year-old seed. The penstemonsEaton, hillside, and smooth (Penstemon subglaber) had
86, 58, and 52 percent, respectively, with 15-year-old seed.
The forbs, sweetanise and sainfoin (Onobr:ychis sativa),
expressed 34 and 27 percent germination with 10-year-old
seed.
A majority of the grass species had good germination
after 7 to 9 years. The wheatgrasses (Agropyron ssp.), in
general, exhibited high germination for 7 to 8 years. Sixyear-old Reed foxtail (Alopecurus arundinaceus) seed germinated at 86 percent, while meadow foxtail germinated
at 91 percent after 13 years. Meadow brome (Bromus
erectus) showed 96 percent germination with 2-year-old
seed and 91 percent with 9-year-old seed. Orchardgrass
Wactylis glomerata) germination with 5-, 7-, and SO-yearold seed was 89, 82, and 44 percent, respectively. Germination of 82 percent after 7 years and 23 percent after 15
years was obtained with Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys
junceas) seed. The fescues-meadow, sheep CFestuca
ovina), and red CF. rubra)-all had germination of over 63
percent with 7-year-old seed. Prairiejunegrass (/{oeleria
cristata) showed 40 percent germination 10 years after
harvest. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) had 93 percent with 6-year-old seed. Of the grasses tested, timothy
(J'hleum pratense) exhibited considerable longevity with
98 percent germination from 10-year-old seed. Bulbous
bluegrass (Poa bulbosa) and alkali sacaton (Sporobolus
airoides) exhibited identical germination (99 percent) with
7-year-old seed. Nine-year-old subalpine needlegrass
(Stipa columbiana) seed germinated at 63 percent. Mountain rye (Secale montanum) had 80 percent germination
from new seed and 50 percent with 17-year-old seed.
VARIATION IN GERMINATION
In these studies, difference in germination between
sources of a number of shrub, forb, and grass species
was found. Comparing results from more than one seed
source per species in study 1 (table 1) and additional
sources of the same species in study 2 (table 2) demonstrated variations in germination between sources. Two
sources of squawapple, one in study 1 and the other in
study 2, both held germination for 7 years. A third source
in study 2, however, had significantly less germination in
the eighth year. Considerable variation between various
shrub species' seed sources, especially sources from differing environmental conditions, has been reported for fourwing saltbush, winterfat, rubber rabbitbrush, big sagebrush, and bitterbrush (Meyer 1989, 1990; Meyer and
Monsen 1990; Meyer and others 1987; Meyer and Pendleton
1990; Stevens and others 1977).
After 13 years, germination of one Palmer penstemon
seed source (study 2) did not change significantly (89 to
82 percent). An additional source of Palmer penstemon
STUDY 3 RESULTS
Even though the source of seed is not the same for most
species, results (table 3) can be used as a general guide in
estimating longevity for many species. For a good number
of the species in this study, there are no other available
extended longevity data.
Retention of germinability with years of storage varied
considerably with the shrubs. Big saltbush Wriple% lentiformis) expressed more longevity (92 percent in 14 years)
than did desert holly saltbush (A. hymenelytra) (57 percent
in 2 years). Five-year-old seed of pygmy peashrub (Caragana pygmaea) germinated at 85 percent and 10 year-old
seed at 67 percent. Wedgeleaf ceanothus (Ceanothus cuneatus) had considerably more germination (63 percent) with
10-year-old seed than did Fendler ceanothus (C. fendleri)
(27 percent) with 14-year-old seed. Bladdersenna (Colutea
263
Hafenrichter, A. L.; Foster, R. B.; Schwendiman, J. L.
1965. Effect of storage at four locations in the West
on longevity of forage seeds. Agronomy Journal. 57:
143-147.
Kay, B. L.; Graves, W. L.; Pergler, C. C. 1984. Storage of
seed of Mojave Desert shrubs. Journal of Seed Technology. 9:20-28.
Kay, B. L.; Graves, W. L.; Young, J. A. 1988. Long-term
storage of desert seed. Mojave Revegetation Notes 23.
Davis, CA: University of California. 22 p.
Kitchen, S. C.; Meyer, S. E. 1991. Seed germination of intermountain penstemon influenced by stratification and
GAS treatments. Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 9: 51-60.
Kitchen, S. C.; Meyer, S. E. 1992. Temperature mediated
changes in seed dormancy and light requirements for
Penstemon palmeri (scrophulariaceae). Great Basin
Naturalist. 52: 53-58.
Little, E. L. 1937. Viability of seeds of southern New
Mexico range grasses. Res. Note SW-6. Albuquerque,
NM: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Southwestern Region. 4 p.
Meyer, S. E. 1989. Warm pretreatment effects on antelope
bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) germination response
to chilling. Northwest Science. 63(4): 146-153.
Meyer, S. E. 1990. Seed source difference in germination
under snowpack in northern Utah. In: Proceedings,
1990 Billings symposium on disturbed lands in the
West. Publ. 9003. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University and Reclamation Research Unit: 184-191.
Meyer, S. E.; Jorgensen, G. L.; McArthur, E. D. 1989.
Variation in germination response to temperature in
rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus: Asteraceae) and its ecological significance. American Journal
of Botany. 76: 981-991.
Meyer, S. E.; McArthur, E. D.; Monson, S. B.1987. Intraspecific variation in germination patterns of rangeland
shrubs and its relationship to seeding success. In: Ecology of rangeland plants; Proceedings of the symposium.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service: 82-89.
Meyer, S. E.; McArthur, E. D.; Monson, S. B. 1990. Germination response ofArtemisia tridentata (Asteraceae) to
light and chill: Patterns ofbetween-population variation. Botanical Gazette. 151(2): 176-183.
Meyer, S. E.; Monson, S. B. 1990. Seed-source differences
in initial establishment for big sagebrush and rubber
rabbitbrush. In: McArthur, E. D.; Romney, E. M.;
Smith, S. D.; Tueller, P. T., comps. Proceedingssymposium on cheatgrass invasion, shrub die-off, and
other aspects of shrub biology and management. Gen.
Tech. Rep. INT-276. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research
Station: 200-208.
Meyer, S. E.; Pendleton, R. L. 1990. Seed germination biology of spineless hopsage; between-population differences in dormancy and response to temperature. In:
McArthur, E. D.; Romney, E. M.; Smith, S. D.; Tueller,
P. T., comps. Proceedings-symposium on cheatgrass
invasion, shrub die-off, and other aspects of shrub biology and management. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-276. Ogden,
in study 1 held its germination for only 5 years (83 to 79
percent) and then dropped to 65 percent by the seventh
year. Kitchen and Meyer (1991, 1992) reported considerable variation in germination between sources of Palmer
penstemon and other Intermountain penstemons. Some
variations were found between cicer milkvetch sources.
One source in study 2 had 51 percent germination the
year of harvest and significantly increased to 89 percent
in 7 years. The second source showed a slight decrease
(73 to 65 percent) over 8 years.
Young and Evans (1982) worked with a number of coolseason range grasses and found variation between varieties and sources within the same species. In our studies
we had one source of smooth brome whose germination
did not significantly change in 5 years (91 to 94 percent)
(study 2), and one that showed 70 percent germination
with 2-year-old seed and signifiCantly dropped to 52 percent with 4 years of storage. There were three sources
of tall wheatgrass in study 2. One source demonstrated
afterripening by increasing its germination between the
first and ninth year (72 to 91 percent). Germination increased slightly but not significantly in 9 years (85 to 87
percent and 85 to 92 percent) for the two other sources.
Two sources of Indian ricegrass in study 2 demonstrated
somewhat differing results. The first source started out
with 9 percent germination and 14 years later had increased to 49 percent. The second source started out at 55
percent and increased slightly to 63 percent in 10 years.
SUMMARY
Each species exhibited its own unique germination characteristics that varied with source and age. Seed of many
species can be obtained and stored for various lengths of
time and still retain acceptable germinability. Some species' germination increased with age; others' decreased
with age. Because percentage germination is a measure
of the number of seed per 100 that will germinate and
have the potential to produce a seedling, all new seed and
seed that has been in storage should be tested by an official seed laboratory (Stevens and Meyer 1990) prior to
purchase and seeding. Purchase price and seeding rate
should be acijusted to the most recent germination test.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We gratefully acknowledge A. Perry Plummer, Don R.
Christensen, Stephen B. Monsen, James N. Davis, and
E. D. McArthur for initiating the study, and assisting in
data analysis.
Funds were provided through Federal Aid in Wildlife
Restoration Project W-82-R (Study 4) and Intermountain
Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ogden, UT.
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