Development of Three Slender Wheatgrass Reclamation Varieties

Organization
Resource Type
Authors
Barbara Darroch
Resource Date:
1996
Page Length
123 pp

To address the need for seed of native grasses adapted for reclaiming disturbed sites in
the mountains and foothills, the Alberta Environmental Centre initiated a research project aimed at developing and releasing varieties of native grasses. Four native grass species were included in this project: slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus, including awnless slender wheatgrass [ssp. trachycaulus], awned slender wheatgrass [ssp. subsecundus], and broadglumed wheatgrass [ssp. violaceus]), alpine bluegrass (Poa alpina), Rocky Mountain fescue (Festuca saximontana), and spike trisetum ( Trisetum spicatum). Plants of these species were collected from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in 1984 and 1985. Slender wheatgrass was one of the most promising species of these four. It has rapid and good establishment, thus helping to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. Slender wheatgrass is relatively short-lived and non-competitive.  It allows other native plant species from undisturbed areas to invade a reclaimed site. This helps to create a vegetative cover similar to that of the surrounding area.

Ten lines of slender wheatgrass were selected for evaluation in provenance trials at Vegreville, Columbia Icefields, Sunshine Village, and Mountain Park. Data from these trials were used to select seven wheatgrass lines for final evaluation in multilocation trials at Vegreville, Beaverlodge, Columbia Icefields, and Mountain Park. Based on the information collected in these evaluation trials, three reclamation varieties of slender wheatgrass were released by the Alberta Environmental Centre. AEC Highlander slender wheatgrass was released in 1993.  It is a mid-elevation variety adapted to elevations as high as 2000 m. AEC Hillcrest awned slender wheatgrass, a lower elevation type (grows best at elevations up to 1800 m) adapted to drier conditions, was released in 1994. This was followed by the release of AEC Mountaineer broadglumed wheatgrass in 1995. AEC Mountaineer is adapted to the highest elevations and grows and produces seed up to elevations of 2200 m. Although these varieties were released as pure lines, we recommend that they be incorporated into seed mixtures containing other native plant species and varieties to maximize genetic and species diversity and improve the likelihood of obtaining a good plant cover in any one location. In addition to developing and releasing these reclamation varieties, research has also been conducted to develop recommendations for growing these varieties for seed production and for use in reclamation and revegetation.