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The Forest Service National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources (RNGR) is a leading source of technical information for nurseries and land managers regarding production and planting of trees and other native plants for reforestation, restoration, and conservation.

 
NPN Protocol Details Image

Machaeranthera (canescens)

Andrea Kramer
Conservation Scientist
Chicago Botanic Garden - Research
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, Illinois 60022
847-835-6971
akramer@chicagobotanic.org
http://www.chicagobotanic.org
Family Scientific Name: Asteraceae
Scientific Name: Machaeranthera canescens
Common Synonym: Dieteria canescens
Common Name: hoary tansyaster
Species Code: MACA2
Ecotype: wild collected from San Juan County, New Mexico
Propagation Goal: Seeds
Propagation Method: Seed
ProductType: Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.)
Pre-Planting Treatments: APPROACH: This project aimed to determine optimal germination conditions for species currently used in restoration in the Colorado Plateau, as well as other priority forb species that may be beneficial to include in future restoration efforts. For this study, seeds were plated on 1.5% agar in petri dishes (4 replicates of 25 seeds per treatment) and incubated in growth chambers at Chicago Botanic Garden using six temperature treatments intended to represent different seed sowing times and locations in the Colorado Plateau (treatments are shown as day/night temperatures respectively, using a 12h/12h light/dark cycle):

TREATMENTS:
1) early-spring (4 weeks at 52°F/34°F)
2) winter (12 weeks at 34°F) then early-spring (4 weeks at 52°F/34°F)
3) mid-spring (4 weeks at 59°F/41°F)
4) winter (12 weeks at 34°F) then mid-spring (59°F/41°F)
5) late-spring (4 weeks at 68°F/50°F)
6) winter (12 weeks at 34°F) then late-spring (68°F/50°F)
Establishment Phase: RESULTS: Almost all viable seeds from this Seeds of Success collection from San Juan County, New Mexico germinated to nearly 100% in all three treatments that imposed 12 weeks of winter conditions (treatments 2, 4, 6). Germination also reached 80% in the early-spring treatment with cold night temperature (34°F). Treatments without cold or winter conditions (treatments 3 & 5) had very little germination (under 25%). This suggests that seeding in warm conditions where the temperature does not drop below 41°F at night will significantly lower the percent of seeds that will germinate. Additional research is needed to determine the extent to which these results are characteristic of the species. The figure at http://tinyurl.com/CBGSeedGerminationMACA shows the average percent germination and standard deviation of viable seeds for each treatment.

Citation:

Kramer, Andrea T; Foxx, Alicia. 2016. Propagation protocol for production of Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.) Machaeranthera canescens Seeds Chicago Botanic Garden - Research Glencoe, Illinois. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/02). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.