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Research ArticleGeneral Technical

Growing an endangered desert milkvetch for container seed production

Bettina S Schultz, Susan E Meyer, Alyson M DeNittis and Kody R Rominger
Native Plants Journal, June 2021, 22 (2) 162-175; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/npj.22.2.162
Bettina S Schultz
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory, 735 North 500 East, Provo, UT 84606
Roles: Volunteer
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  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Susan E Meyer
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Shrub Sciences Laboratory, 735 North 500 East, Provo, UT 84606
Roles: Research Ecologist
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  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Alyson M DeNittis
Utah Valley University, Department of Biology, 800 W University Parkway, Orem UT 84058
Roles: Undergraduate Research Associate
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Kody R Rominger
Utah Valley University, Department of Biology, 800 W University Parkway, Orem UT 84058
Roles: Research Plant Ecologist and Project Manager
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Abstract

In this project we developed a successful methodology for producing seeds of a federally listed endangered species, Holmgren’s milkvetch (Astragalus holmgreniorum Barneby [Fabaceae]), in container culture. The goal was to obtain seeds for augmentation and introduction studies aimed at species recovery. Once requirements for germination, establishment, healthy growth, and flowering were determined, this perennial, spring ephemeral species could readily be grown from seed to flowering in the greenhouse on a fall-to-spring production cycle. Plants required several weeks of cold treatment (vernalization) in midwinter to induce flowering. We also succeeded in carrying container-grown plants through their first dormant season to obtain a second year of seed production. The main obstacle to successful seed production was matching flowering time and place to coincide with the activity of the ground-nesting native bees (genus Anthophora) that are its principal pollinators. Most of the nearly 44,000 seeds produced by approximately 125 greenhouse-grown plants over 2 y resulted from hand-pollination, which was very effective but labor intensive. Yield from hand-pollination averaged 436 seeds per plant under the best scenario, which compares favorably with the yield for wild plants. We obtained fruit set without hand-pollination only when we placed flowering container-grown plants in the field where wild Holmgren’s milkvetch was flowering and Anthophora bees were present. This field method could be scaled up and would result in large seed crops without the need for hand-pollination. Scaling up seed production in the absence of the bees proved to be impractical.

KEY WORDS
  • Anthophora pollinator
  • Astragalus holmgreniorum
  • citizen science
  • Fabaceae
  • hand pollination
  • Holmgren’s milkvetch
  • Mojave Desert
  • species recovery
NOMENCLATURE
  • USDA NRCS (2020)
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Native Plants Journal: 22 (2)
Native Plants Journal
Vol. 22, Issue 2
20 Jun 2021
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Growing an endangered desert milkvetch for container seed production
Bettina S Schultz, Susan E Meyer, Alyson M DeNittis, Kody R Rominger
Native Plants Journal Jun 2021, 22 (2) 162-175; DOI: 10.3368/npj.22.2.162

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Growing an endangered desert milkvetch for container seed production
Bettina S Schultz, Susan E Meyer, Alyson M DeNittis, Kody R Rominger
Native Plants Journal Jun 2021, 22 (2) 162-175; DOI: 10.3368/npj.22.2.162
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    • Abstract
    • STUDY SPECIES DESCRIPTION
    • THE SEED INCREASE PROJECT
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Keywords

  • Anthophora pollinator
  • Astragalus holmgreniorum
  • citizen science
  • Fabaceae
  • hand pollination
  • Holmgren’s milkvetch
  • Mojave Desert
  • species recovery
  • USDA NRCS (2020)
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