Seeds and Seedling Establishment of Wyoming Big Sagebrush

Success with Wyoming sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) depends on good seed vigor, and rapid seedling development. These characteristics are influenced by harvesting, processing, storing, and sowing. In this paper we discuss research findings related to those activities: (1) It appears that Wyoming big sagebrush growing on the western edge of the Great Plains might hold viable seed longer into the winter, and might have greater seed dormancy than do other habitat types. (2) Tests of debearder-processed seeds indicate the procedure does not degrade seed quality. (3) Sagebrush seeds in storage often show unexpected, and seemingly random viability losses. We need research to define the interactions of seed physiology and storage conditions and to predict seed shelf-life. (4) Temperature has a measurable influence on water absorption by sagebrush seeds, but the rate and extent of water absorption does not appear to influence germination or seedling vigor. (5) Moisture stress will affect germination and an increase in moisture stress from 0.00 to-0.50 MPa will result in approximately half of germinable seeds remaining ungerminated. (6) Heavy seeds germinate better. We recommend seed buyers select seed lots with less than 3500 seeds/g to obtain high-vigor seeds; also, that seed lots be monitored using inexpensive in-the-office tests of germination. (7) We recommend sagebrush seeding rates of 1000 seeds/m2. Lower seeding rates reduce stand density but heavier rates do not give a corresponding density increase. High seeding rates are consistent with sagebrush ecology