Establishing Wyoming Big Sagebrush Seed Orchards on Reclaimed Mined Land

Abstract

Reclaimed mined lands often have restricted public access, a situation that could encourage sagebrush seed growers to invest in methods for increasing seed production and improving seed purity and quality. I tested the agronomic benefit of 2 seeding methods and fabric mulch and a cross-linked polyacrylamide polymer soil amendment by using these practices to establish 3 Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young [Asteraceae]) seed orchards on a reclaimed uranium mine in Wyoming’s Shirley Basin. Seed yield was monitored for 5 y. Cased-hole punch seeding (CHPS) produced more and faster growing plants than broadcasting. Seeds from plants established through mulch averaged 20 to 36 g (0.7 to 1.3 oz) per plant compared with less than 10 g (0.4 oz) per plant without mulch. Polyacrylamide-amended soil produced fewer seeds than untreated plots in every year of the study. Fabric mulch clearly enhanced sagebrush growth and seed yield; polyacrylamide did not.