Workshop on New Grass Germplasms
17
and Maintenance (LRAM) is the greatest expense in ITAM's budget. Today's
training needs create Army-unique impacts on vegetation and soil conditions,
driving the need for resilient species. The demand for the resilient plants will
depend on market availability and genetic diversity. The primary reason for this
workshop is to demonstrate the genetic diversity of the new germplasms and to
promote them for commercial availability.
The technical objectives for the project are to (1) breed improved native and
naturalized plant cultivars to control erosion and provide stable plant ecosystems
on military training lands and (2) enhance existing land-management models to
include effects of training on soil compaction, plant injury, and regrowth and to
provide methods for mitigation and rehabilitation. The project began with basic
research on genetic markers associated with desired traits for resiliency on low-
maintenance, high-use military training areas. The applied research aim is to use
the genetic markers to improve the selective breeding process by ensuring that
selected plants carry the desired traits. In the demonstration phase of the project,
the resiliency of new plant materials is being evaluated through controlled tests
on military training lands at Yakima Training Center, Washington, and Fort
Carson, Colorado. This year, the demonstrations are being expanded to include
Camp Guernsey, Wyoming.
The technical approach covers four areas: (1) For plant breeding and germ-
plasm development, we surveyed existing native plants on military facilities and
selected the most promising existing species. The most promising populations
were bred for improved seed germination, seedling vigor, rhizome development,
persistence, drought tolerance, and weed control. Similar surveys were also
conducted on military facilities for introduced species, which were bred with
additional off-base collections. Final steps in this part of the approach are to test
and release the new germplasms. To date three germplasms have been released
(see Appendix D) and we expect to release an additional eight germplasms in the
next two years (see Kevin Jensen's presentation on the new germplasms, below).
(2) For plant root growth and tracking, we established tracking studies on exist-
ing grasses as well as new germplasms. We are completing a report on this phase
of the project. (3) To improve establishment and inhibit invasive weeds, we are
evaluating the use of seed mixtures at three locations and in the greenhouse (see
Blair Waldron's presentation on establishing native plants, below). (4) This
workshop is our first major effort for marketing and technology transfer.
Within the adapted area for the new germplasms (Fig. 1), we have identified
42 military facilities, which include 1.3 million acres of Army lands. The new
germplasms are also appropriate for other federal, state, or local agencies, high-
way right-of-ways, mine spoils, rangelands, and other disturbed areas.
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