Scott Jensen
Botanist
UDSA RMRS GSD
Collect
Harvest
Plant
Seed
Increase
Bloom
Weed
Control
Uncover


Cold hardiness zones
Eco-region maps





level III – broadly circumscribed
level IV – narrowly circumscribed
Merging of Eco-regions with USDA
cold hardiness zones
Merging of temperature and
precipitation models
Focal point biogeochemical
modeling
Johnson et.al. 2010

Pool seed from




the same ecosystem
more than 50 unrelated parents
at least 5 locations
If environmental uncertainty is anticipated

Include material from other ecosystems similar to
anticipated future environment (composite
provenances)
Johnson et.al. 2010
Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University,
Bugwood.org

Stock Seed Lots



165 sources with over 200 grams of seed
43 species
Sources Under Increase


138 sources
33 species



Evolutionary paradigm
(Jones & Monaco 2009)
Supermarket generation
(Roundy 1999)
Conservation Biology
(Jones 2009)



Resource Paradigm
(Jones & Monaco 2009)
Agrarian Society
Agriculture-resource
extraction

Do the generic zones represent acceptable
partitions of selective gradients the species is
responding to and thereby appropriately
partition populations into adaptive zones?
Are the zones
effective?

Performance - are results of this approach
(PSZ) acceptable compared to results obtained
when using cultivar materials developed
following the agricultural model.
Will the seed perform?
Provisional Seed Zone
Distribution of Great Basin Populations of Basin Wildrye
n=107
34.6%
35.0%
29.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
11.2%
8.4%
10.0%
5.0%
3.7%
0.9%
0.9%
1.9%
1.9%
0.0%
5-10 Deg F / 5-10 Deg F / 10-15 Deg F 10-15 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 20-25 Deg F 20-25 Deg F
3-6
6-12
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 12-30
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
Distribution of Great Basin Populations of Basin Wildrye by
Provisional Seed Zone
34.6%
35.0%
29.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
11.2%
8.4%
10.0%
5.0%
3.7%
0.9%
1.9%
0.9%
1.9%
0.0%
5-10 Deg F / 5-10 Deg F / 10-15 Deg F 10-15 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 20-25 Deg F 20-25 Deg F
3-6
6-12
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 12-30
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
Orovada
Nephi
Spanish Fork
Fountain Green
34.6%
35.0%
29.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
11.2%
8.4%
10.0%
5.0%
3.7%
0.9%
1.9%
0.9%
1.9%
0.0%
5-10 Deg F
/ 3-6
5-10 Deg F
/ 6-12
10-15 Deg F 10-15 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 20-25 Deg F 20-25 Deg F
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 12-30
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
Orovada
Nephi
Spanish Fork
Fountain Green
32 Seed Sources
Source
Certification
Category
Ploidy
Populations/Parents
Magnar
Cultivar - Manipulated
Octoploid
1/?
Trailhead
Continent
al
Tetra
Cultivar - Natural
Cultivar - Manipulated
Tetraploid
Octoploid
1/?
2/?
Selected Class Natural
Selection within a
single source
Single source
Manipulated
recombination
Broad genetic base,
broad geography
Tetraploid
31 / 750+
Tetraploid
10-15 Deg.
/ 6-12
Selected Class Natural
Broad genetic base,
narrow geography
Tetraploid
3 / 150+
Octoploid
10-15 Deg.
/ 6-12
Selected Class Natural
Broad genetic base,
narrow geography
Octoploid
5 / 250+
Tetraploid
15-20 Deg.
/ 3-6
Selected Class Natural
Broad genetic base,
narrow geography
Tetraploid
5 / 250+
Tetraploid
15-20 Deg.
/ 6-12
Selected Class Natural
Broad genetic base,
narrow geography
Tetraploid
5 / 250+
Octoploid
15-20 Deg.
/ 6-12
Selected Class Natural
Broad genetic base,
narrow geography
Octoploid
5 / 250+
Tetraploid
20-25 Deg.
/ 6-12
Selected Class Natural
Broad genetic base,
narrow geography
Tetraploid
3 / 150+
Octoploid
20-25 Deg.
/ 6-12
Selected Class Natural
Broad genetic base,
narrow geography
Octoploid
1 / 55
Magnar
Trailhead
Washoe
Continental
Tetra
Fremont
Other SI
102,270
52,950
-
-
600
2,300
7,400
Magnar
Breeding Method
Description
Selection of vigorous types during
several generations.
Adapted to the Northwest and
Intermountain Regions of the Western
United States where precipitation
averages 8 inches or above. It has
survived in plantings with 7 inches
annual rainfall. It prefers deep clayey to
loamy to sandy soils and can be found in
weakly saline conditions. It is noted for
blue foliage, fair seedling vigor and
establishment, high forage production,
good winter cover, fair winter forage,
and ability to survive and thrive under
very dry conditions. Robust, vigorous,
blue, tall-growing, leafy. Broad, coarse
leaves. Large stems and seed heads; good
seed production; seed grows rapidly.
Trailhead-1991
Breeding Method
Direct increase of field collection. Selected from
among 125 accessions representing native collections
in Montana and Wyoming.
Description
Vigorous, disease-free, dark green, excellent earlyspring forage production. Abundant broad, semi-lax,
leaves. Good seedling vigor. Seed production fair. It
is adapted to the Northern Great Plains and
Intermountain Regions of the Western United States
where precipitation averages 8 inches or above
(tested in MLRA's 32, 34, 44, and 58). It has survived
in plantings with 5 inches annual rainfall. More
drought tolerant than other cultivars of basin
wildrye. Selected for its stand longevity and drought
tolerance as compared to other basin wildrye
accessions. It prefers deep clayey to loamy to sandy
soils and tolerates weakly saline conditions. Can be
used as a tall species for improving wildlife habitat;
tested on elk feeding grounds and for upland game
bird nesting cover.
Breeding Method
Description
A Magnar -Trailhead octaploid hybrid developed to
address the issue of inadequate germination and
seedling vigor common to Basin wildrye.
A tertiary restoration gene pool material.
Similar or superior stand establishment to Magnar
and Trailhead.
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Outside GB
20-25 Deg.F. 6-12
20-25 Deg.F. 3-6
15-20 Deg.F. 6-12
15-20 Deg.F. 3-6
10-15 Deg.F. 6-12
10-15 Deg.F. 3-6
Tetra - Adaptation
34.6%
35.0%
29.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
11.2%
8.4%
10.0%
3.7%
5.0%
0.9%
0.9%
1.9%
1.9%
0.0%
5-10 Deg F / 5-10 Deg F / 10-15 Deg F 10-15 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 15-20 Deg F 20-25 Deg F 20-25 Deg F
3-6
6-12
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
/ 12-30
/ 3-6
/ 6-12
32 Seed Sources
10 blocks
2 Treatments
25 PLS / foot
4 test sites – each representing a PSZ
Establishment
Thanks to Great Basin Native Plant Project and USDA FS RMRS for funding this work.