Arizona - Tucson Plant Materials Center

In 1934, one of the first Plant Materials Centers was established in Tucson, Arizona, under the direction of F. J. Crider. During this time, the primary mission of the Tucson Plant Materials Center was the production of nursery stock and the collection of large quantities of seeds for use on the Navajo, Gila, and Rio Grande regional demonstration projects.  The Center’s mission has evolved to address conservation needs such as erosion, drought, pollinator conservation, water quality, wildlife habitat, energy demands and wildfire damage.

The Tucson Plant Materials Center works in the Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Mojave deserts in areas of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.  Major land uses in this area include irrigated farmland, rangeland, and mine lands. The Center develops and evaluates adapted plant materials and technologies to address resource concerns across the region.

The Center’s conservation plant releases include a variety of conservation grasses such as, ‘Loetta’ Arizona cottontop, Cochise Germplasm spike dropseed, Pima Germplasm Pima pappusgrass, and Vegas Germplasm alkali sacaton. Many of these releases were developed in collaboration with partners such as the Bureau of Land Management, University of Arizona and the Agricultural Research Service.
In 1997, the Tucson Plant Materials Center was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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