Carex (macrocephala)
|
Ian Silvernail Conservation Agronomist USDA NRCS - Corvallis Plant Materials Center 3415 NE Granger Ave Corvallis, Oregon 97330 541-801-2282 ian.silvernail@usda.gov http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/orpmc |
|
| Family Scientific Name: | Cyperaceae | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Carex macrocephala | ||
| Common Name: | big-head sedge | ||
| Species Code: | CAMA10 | ||
| Ecotype: | Central Oregon Coast | ||
| General Distribution: | coastal sands in Oregon north to Alaska | ||
| Propagation Goal: | Plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | Seed | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Stock Type: | Deepot D40 (2.5" diam. x 10" deep) | ||
| Time To Grow: | 6 months | ||
| Target Specifications: | large plug with greater resilience to drying out during summer growth period | ||
| Propagule Collection: | Female inflorescences with visible signs of seed set were collected from wild populations on the Central Oregon Coast in August and September | ||
| Propagule Processing: | After drying at room temperature, inflorescences were first processed in a Westrup LA-H brush machine with a solid mantle. Filled peryginia were then separated from stems and bracts on a Clipper Office Tester using a 15 round top screen and no bottom screen with air at a medium-high setting. | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: | Germination requirements were evaluated in germination boxes by looking at three scarification treatments (none, medium mechanical scarification with sandpaper, heavy mechanical scarification with sandpaper and the subsequent physical removal of the achene from the peryginial bracts) and different periods of cold-moist stratification (0 weeks, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 4 weeks warm-moist stratification followed by 4 weeks cold-moist stratification). The highest germination was achieved with 8 weeks cold-moist stratification utilizing the achenes only that had been heavily mechanically scarified to remove them from the peryginial bracts prior to temperature treatment. After 8 weeks cold-moist stratification, seeds were placed at 80F; 67% germination occurred in 2-3 weeks. Suspicious that higher temperatures would promote more germination, after three weeks at 80F, temperature was increased to 95F; this stimulated mean germination to increase to 76% within one week. It is possible that putting seeds in a 95F environment immediately after cold-moist stratification would stimulate quicker germination. | ||
| Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops: |
Half of the containers were filled with ProMix-HP+, a high porosity peat and perlite-based medium. The remaining half of containers were filled with a mix of 1 part washed river sand to 2 parts ProMix-HP+. | ||
| Establishment Phase: |
Plugs were well rooted and ready for transplant in 6 months from emergence. Establishment from seed was 71% in the ProMix-HP+ medium and 85% in the sand and ProMix mixture. Large plugs were used in this effort because the project had goals other than plug production. In another propagation effort, heavily scarified seeds (some achenes were incidentally removed from the peryginia during the scarification process but many still remained enclosed within the bracts upon sowing) were sown 5-7 seeds per cell in 73 cell trays (individual cells are 1.5" diam. x 2.75" deep and 2.5 in3) filled with ProMix-HP+, wrapped in plastic bags, and placed in a 40F refrigerator for cold-moist stratification. After 8 weeks in the refrigerator, trays were removed and placed on a heat mat at approx 95F in a greenhouse. Seedings emerged within 2 weeks and nearly all cells contained germinants. Roots adequately filled the cells and cells were transplantable after 12 weeks. |
||
Citation:
Silvernail, Ian. 2021. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Carex macrocephala Plants Deepot D40 (2.5" diam. x 10" deep); USDA NRCS - Corvallis Plant Materials Center Corvallis, Oregon. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/01). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
