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Idaho - Aberdeen Plant Materials Center Highlights

Highlights

PLANT SOLUTIONS FOR AT-RISK WILDLIFE AND POLLINATORS

Provide plants and plant technology to promote healthy wildlife habitat

  • Development and release of Amethyst germplasm hoary tansyaster and Soda Springs germplasm parsnipflower buckwheat.
  • Technology development for improved establishment of native forbs in arid and semi-arid rangelands.
  • Technical Notes for establishment and improvement of sage-grouse and monarch butterfly habitat.
  • Evaluation of commercially available seed mixes for pollinator habitat.
  • Development of technical guidance for fuel breaks in sagebrush steppe habitat.

WATER QUALITY

Improve water quality and quantity with plant science technology

Note: Documents below found in Publications

  • Field Guide for the Identification and Use of Common Riparian Woody Plants.
  • Users Guide to the Description, Propagation, and Establishment of Wetland Plant Species and Grasses for Riparian Areas in the Intermountain West designed to assist users in repairing damaged wetland and riparian areas.
  • How to Plant Willows and Cottonwoods for Riparian Restoration, a guide to successfully planting key riparian species.
  • Willow Clump Plantings, a guide to planting willows using an innovative bio-engineering technique.
  • The Practical Streambank Bioengineering Guide, a guide to stabilizing eroding streambanks.

PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE

Reduce soil erosion in cropland and improve soil health

  • Cooperative development of regional cover crop selection tool.
  • Evaluation of over 30 species of cover crop leading to regional recommendations for Intermountain farmers and ranchers.
  • Developed technical notes of recommended cover crops for Intermountain agriculture and on calibrating cover crop mixes for drill seeding.

PLANTS TO HELP SOLVE RESOURCE PROBLEMS

Provide for and promote the commercial production of NRCS developed plants to ensure that adequate seed and plants are available for use in cooperative conservation programs

  • Provide Foundation quality seed of 20 conservation plants to the commercial seed industry to insure the availability of plant material for Farm Bill and other conservation programs.
  • Seed Production Standards for Conservation Plants and Reading Seed Packaging Labels – Calculating Seed Mixtures, two guides to assist users in how to obtain quality seed, save money, and optimize chances of success.
  • Improvements to seed harvesting equipment to maximize yield of native forbs and increase availability of native forb seed.