Skip to Main Content
U.S. Forest Service
Caring for the land and serving people

United States Department of Agriculture

Home > Search > Publication Information

  1. Seed germination of roundleaf buffaloberry (Shepherdia rotundifolia) and silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) in three substrates

    Share via EmailShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on Twitter
    Dislike this pubLike this pub
    Author(s): Taun Beddes; Heidi A. Kratsch
    Date: 2009
    Source: Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 27(3): 129-133.
    Publication Series: Miscellaneous Publication
    PDF: View PDF  (1.73 MB)

    Description

    Many western native plant species occur in areas characterized by well-drained soils low in organic matter. Some drought-tolerant native plant species exhibit poor seed germination. It was hypothesized that traditional growing substrates high in organic matter may impede their germination; therefore, stratified seeds of roundleaf buffaloherry (Shepherdia rotundifolia) and silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) were sown in three substrates differing in organic matter and drainage properties. Seed flats were irrigated twice daily to container capacity, and held on a greenhouse bench for 40 days. Seeds of roundleaf buffaloberry exhibited greatest total germinal ion in a calcined montmorillonite calcined clay substrate (66%); seeds exhibited low germination in a commercial peatbased germination mix (13%) and in a self-prepared, locally popular substrate (22%) that contained sphagnum peat:perlite:calcined clay:sand (2:2:1:1 by vol). Seed germination of silver buffaloberry varied from 42 to 54% and was not different among the three substrates. When substrates are kept consistently moist, a calcined-clay substrate can improve germination of roundleaf buffaloberry, but not silver buffaloberry.

    Publication Notes

    • You may send email to rmrspubrequest@fs.fed.us to request a hard copy of this publication.
    • (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)
    • We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
    • This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.

    Citation

    Beddes, Taun; Kratsch, Heidi A. 2009. Seed germination of roundleaf buffaloberry (Shepherdia rotundifolia) and silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) in three substrates. Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 27(3): 129-133.

    Keywords

    substrate properties, native plant production, sexual propagation, calcined clay, drought-adapted shrubs

    Related Search

    XML: View XML
Show More
Show Fewer
Jump to Top of Page