The EU-SALVERE Project: Producing Native Seeds Using
Threshing Material and Species-rich Hay from Grasslands
Anita Kirmer & Sabine Tischew
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany, contact: a.kirmer@loel.hs-anhalt.de
In cooperation with all SALVERE project partners:
1. Michele Scotton, Claudia DelBuono & Antonio Timoni, University of Padova, Italy (Lead Partner)
2. Bernhard Krautzer, Albin Blaschka, Petra Haslgrübler, William Graiss & Erich Pötsch,
Lehr- und Forschungszentrum Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Austria
3. Rainer Frank, Franz Jahn & Christian Tamegger, Kärtner Saatbau, Austria
4. Magdalena Sevcíková, Petra Spacková, & Tomáš Vondřejc, OSEVA, Czech Republic
5. Sandra Mann, Matthias Stolle & Katja Eis, University of Applied Sciences, Germany
6. Birgit Feucht & Ernst Rieger, Rieger-Hoffmann, Germany
7. Miriam Kizeková, Norbert Britaňák, Jozef Čunderlík, Ľubomír Hanzes, Jana Martincová,
Štefan Pollák, Plant Production Research Centre Pieštany, Slovakia
8. Piotr Goliński, Józef Binias, Dorota Dragason, Barbara Golińska, Stanislaw Kozłowski,
Agnieszka Krakowiñska & Ryszard Szymański, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poland
The project
Sandtrockenrasen im Tagebaugebiet Goitzche
Semi-natural grassland as a source of biodiversity improvement
Acronym: SALVERE
A project in the INTERREG IVB Program „Central Europe“
duration 01.01.2009 – 31.12.2011, project number 1CE052P3
8 working groups from 6 countries
- Austria (2 partner)
- Czech Republic
- Germany (2 partner)
- Italy (lead partner)
- Poland
- Slovakia
Further information: www.salvereproject.eu
General aims of the SALVERE - Project
• Practical contribution to realize the 2010-target by utilization of species-rich grasslands
as donor sites for regional seed mixtures
• Use of the harvested seed mixtures in restoration of species-poor grasslands and in
establishment of new species-rich grasslands on former arable land, road embankments,
ski slopes, in mined sites, and for compensation measures
• Quantification of the seed potential on donor sites and analysis of harvested seed
mixtures concerning species composition and number of germinable seeds
• Transfer of knowledge into practice during workshops and field trips, and by drafting of a
practical handbook for seed harvest and ecological restoration of species-rich grasslands
• Recommendations for an European quality standard for „wild“ seed mixtures
Work packages and responsibilities
WP1
Project management and coordination
Michele Scotton, University of Padova
WP2
Communication, knowledge management and dissemination
Bernhard Krautzer, Lehr- und Forschungszentrum Raumberg-Gumpenstein
WP3
Analysis of the staus quo of high nature value farmland (HNVF) in the
involved countries, agricultural policy and future development of HNVF
Erich Pötsch, Lehr- und Forschungszentrum Raumberg-Gumpenstein
WP4
Quantification of seed production and evaluation of seed quality,
modeling of the seed production in donor sites
Michele Scotton, University of Padova
WP5
Harvesting trials, harvesting costs and effects, quality of seed mixtures, seed
seperation and conservation, drafting of guidelines and handbook
Christian Tamegger, Kärntner Saatbau
WP6
Implementation of experimental and demonstration trials, benefit assessment
and drafting of guidelines and handbook
Sabine Tischew, Hochschule Anhalt (FH)
Drafting of a Native Plants Certificate
Birgit Feucht, Rieger-Hoffmann GmbH
Selected activities
Implementation of 17 new trials and continuing of 5 “old” trials
Utilised methods to establish species-rich grasslands
Green hay
all partners
Hay
2 partners
On-site threshing
7 partners
Seed stripping
4 partners
Seed mixtures of local origin from seed propagation
3 partners
Involved plant communities
Arrhenatherion
all partners (15 trials)
Bromion (Mesobromion)
4 partners (4 trials)
Molinion
2 partners (2 trials)
Deschampsion (Cnidion)
1 partner (1 trial)
The methods
on-site threshing & green hay
Sandtrockenrasen im Tagebaugebiet Goitzche
Presented methods
Green hay
• Mowing of species-rich communities and collection of the seed-rich
fresh cuttings with machines or by hand.
• Ratio donor : receptor site depends on biomass production and seed
content of donor site (varies between 3:1 and 1:2).
Mowing with tractor in Slovakia
(M. Kizekova, 7/2009)
• Green hay enhances the water supply, reduces erosion and offers safe
sites for germination and establishment.
On-site threshing
• Mowing and immediate threshing (“on-site”) of the material with a
thresher.
Threshing with small machine in Poland
( A. Krakowińska, 8/2009)
• Application rate depends on seed content and degree of purification of
threshing material and varies between 5 and 20 g /m².
• Harvesting between June and July enhances transfer of grasses.
• Harvesting between August and September promotes herbaceous species.
Use of a large thresher in Italy
(C. DalBuono, 7/2009)
• Donor site register facilitates the selection of suitable sites (example: www.spenderflaechenkataster.de)
Part
Czech Republic (M. Krátký 6/2009)
Germany (B. Feucht 6/2009)
The Arrhenatherion trials
Poland (A. Krakowińska 8/2009)
Austria (F. Jahn 8/2009)
Sandtrockenrasen im Tagebaugebiet Goitzche
Site characteristics receptor sites for Arrhenatherion trials
Former land use: arable land
Country
Trial Strenzfeld Campus /Germany
(A. Kirmer 25/8/2009)
Type of soil preparation: harrowing
Implementation: Aug 2009
Italy
Germany
Poland
Slovakia
Longitude
(E)
11 35’ 52’’
11 42' 09''
16 17'
19 02' 44"
Latitude
(N)
45 41’ 30’’
51 49' 25''
52 26'
48 44' 57"
Altitude (m a.s.l.)
Mean yearly rainfall (mm)
Mean yearly temperature ( C)
pH value (in H2O)
Trial Maragnole /Italy
(C DelBuono 10/9/2009)
Type of soil preparation:
ploughing, harrowing
Implementation: Aug-Sep 2009
85 - 647
469 - 1177
8 - 13,3
5-8
Plant available P (mg per 100 g soil)
1,5 - 13,5
Total nitrogen (mass-%)
0,15 - 2,03
Total carbonate (mass-%)
Zgierzynka trial /Poland
(A. Krakowińska 9/2009)
Type of soil preparation: ploughing,
harrowing
Implementation: August 2009
0,5 - 2,2
(Min-Max)
Tajov trial /Slovakia,
(M. Kizekova, 7/2009)
Type of soil preparation: ploughing,
harrowing
Implementation: July 2009
Site characteristics receptor sites for Arrhenatherion trials
Former land use: degraded grassland
Country
Tallach trial /Austria
(F. Jahn 9/7/2009)
Type of soil preparation: harrowing
Implementation: Jul-Aug 2009
Austria
Austria
Slovakia
Poland
Longitude
(E)
14 06' 05''
14 04' 18''
20 41'
16 18’
Latitude
(N)
47 29' 41''
46 32' 04''
48 55'
52 22’
Altitude (m above sea level)
Mean yearly rainfall (mm)
GUM trial /Austria
(P. Haslgrübler 8/2009)
Type of soil preparation: ploughing
Implementation: Jul-Aug 2009
Liptovská Teplička trial /Slovakia
(M. Kizekova, 7/2009)
Type of soil preparation: harrowing
Implementation: July 2009
85 - 960
579 - 1054
Mean yearly temperature ( C)
5,9 - 9,0
pH value (in H2O)
6,3 - 7,0
Plant available P (mg per 100 g soil)
0,4 - 13,9
Total nitrogen (mass-%)
0,1 - 3,5
Total carbonate (mass-%)
0,7 - 3,3
(Min-Max)
Gluponie trial /Poland
(A. Krakowińska 9/2009)
Type of soil preparation: ploughing,
harrowing
Implementation: August 2009
Slovakia, Plant Production
Research Centre Piestany
Italy, Univ. Padova
First results Arrhenatherion trials
Austria, LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein
Germany, Rieger-Hoffmann
Sandtrockenrasen im Tagebaugebiet Goitzche
First results Arrhenatherion trials
Species-rich Arrhenatherion donor site, Czech Republic
Stepwise linear regression:
→ Species-richness of donor site
increases number of transferred
species
First results Arrhenatherion trials
Arable land receptor site, Germany
Site preparation on degraded grassland, Slovakia
Stepwise linear regression:
→ Residual species of degraded
grasslands increase the number of
species on the variants
→ Restoration method, climatic and soil
parameters are not significant yet
Arrhenatherion trial, Strenzfeld
Campus /Germany
The example
Germany, Rieger-Hoffmann
Sandtrockenrasen im Tagebaugebiet Goitzche
Arrhenatherion trial Strenzfeld Campus, Germany
25 August 2009
11 December 2009
13 April 2010
18 May 2010
Arrhenatherion trial Strenzfeld Campus, Germany
35
average number of species on receptor site
120
average coverage (%)
100
80
60
***
***
40
20
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
green hay
on-site threshing
green hay
on-site threshing
target species
non-target species
species from seed rain/seed bank
mulch layer
bare soil
transferred species
18 May 2010
Arrhenatherion trial Strenzfeld Campus, Germany
25 August 2009
11 December 2009
13 April 2010
18 May 2010
First cut: 7 June 2010
5 July 2010
9 August 2010
Germany, Univ. of Appl. Sciences
Italy, Univ. Padova
Greenhouse & laboratory experiments
Italy, Univ. Padova
Germany, Univ. of Appl. Sciences
Sandtrockenrasen im Tagebaugebiet Goitzche
Greenhouse and laboratory experiments
• Composition of seed mixtures (all partners)
• Germinability of seed mixtures (all partners)
• Effect of storage on the germinability of seed mixtures (4 partners)
• Separation experiments with seed mixtures (4 partners)
• Analysis of seed production of selected species in Arrhenatherion donor sites (all partners)
• Germination tests with selected species from Arrhenatherion donor sites (all partners)
• Analysis of seed potential and biomass production in donor sites (all partners)
First results: Greenhouse experiments in Germany
Analysis of species composition and content of germinable seeds
Start of experiment: 2nd March 2010
Presentation of results: until 7th July 2010
2 methods: material from on-site threshing & green hay
9 repetitions per method
Amount of harvested material from 1 m² donor site:
- on-site threshing material: 10,2 g per m² (SD ± 3,1)
- green hay: 583,7 g per m² (SD ± 113,8)
After 3 weeks: 21 March 2010
Average number of germinated species
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
all species
on-site threshing
only target species
Average number of germinable seeds per m² donor site
Greenhouse experiments – results after 4 months
green hay
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
Galium album
600
→ for both methods, number
400
of germinated species is
similar
200
0
all species
only target species
on-site threshing
green hay
→ content of germinable seeds
is slightly higher in on-site
threshing material
→ target species comprise
approx. 90 % of germinated
species
→ 53 % of target species from
donor site germinated from
on-site threshing material
and 45 % from green hay
Data from Katja Eis (master thesis, in prep.)
Trial Maragnole /Italy
Harvest with thresher /Poland
First Conclusions
Greenhouse experiment /Germany
Arrhenatherion trial /Austria
Sandtrockenrasen im Tagebaugebiet Goitzche
First conclusions
• Harvesting of species-rich grasslands is an effective way to
obtain regional seed mixtures for restoration and re-vegetation
• Species-richness of donor sites increases restoration success
• On-site threshing and green hay are suitable harvesting
methods and the harvested material is rich in number and seeds
of target species
• Whereas green hay is easier to harvest (tractor with rotary
mower and loader wagon), material from on-site threshing is
bulk reduced and can be stored more easily - after drying - for
later use
Many thanks …
… to all colleagues from the SALVERE project for data, information,
photographs and helpful discussions,
… to Annett Baasch for statistical advice,
… and to you for your attention !!
Next SALVERE workshops & final conference
21 – 23 September 2010 – Workshop
Plant production reseach center PIEŠŤANY, Slovakia
Further information:
http://www.salvereproject.eu/node/42
18 – 20 May 2011 - Workshop
Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany
(together with SER field days)
Further information:
http://www.salvereproject.eu/node/43 and
http://www.offenlandinfo.de/aktuell.php
September 2011 – Final international conference
Department of Environmental Agronomy
and Crop Production - University of Padova, Italy
Further future information refer to
http://www.salvereproject.eu and
Michele.Scotton@unipd.it
Foto:
Foto:M.M.Kizekova
Kizekova/Slovakia
/Slovakia