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Maryland - Norman A. Berg National Plant Materials Center Highlights

Highlights

IMPROVING COVER CROP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Identify phenology parameters to maximize soil health benefits from cover crops.
  • Replicate plantings by both seeding date and termination date to accurately quantify aboveground biomass of cereal grain cover crops.

IMPROVING POLLINATOR HABITAT ESTABLISHMENT

  • Identify management technology to establish diverse native habitats for wildlife and provide food sources for pollinators.
  • Evaluate species establishment in pure stands and in mixed plantings.
  • Draft Plant Fact Sheets and wildflower mix recommendations to provide information needed to successfully establish diverse plantings to support pollinators.

IMPROVING FORAGE DATA

  • Establish multiple species’ forage plots to create more accurate growth curves for each species.
  • Replicate plantings to improve accuracy and precision of growth curves.
  • Generate data for software programs to improve modeling and grazing/forage recommendations for the mid-Atlantic.

WARM SEASON COVER CROP DEMONSTRATION

  • Plant over forty varieties of warm season covers in a replicated planting and collect data on establishment, growth, and weed suppression.
  • Generate recommendations and training opportunities for use by organic vegetable producers.

CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT PLANTS DEMONSTRATION

  • Plant over twenty varieties of culturally significant plants to train field staff on plant identification.  
  • Selected plant varieties carry cultural significance primarily for American Indians and are traditionally used for food, fiber, medicine, and dye.