Germination temperature response of two ecotypes of winterfat [Kraschenninikovia lanata (Pursh) Guldenstaedt]
2003
Schellenberg, M.P.
Winterfat [Kraschenninikovia lanata (Pursh) Guldenstaedt], a drought-resistant native shrub that retains high nutritional value into the fall, has been documented to have a high degree of ecotypic variation. The objective of this study was to determine if ecotypic germination temperature differences occurred between readily available seed lots from New Mexico and the newly developed Saskatchewan Ducks Unlimited winterfat ecovar. A two-factor factorial experiment was conducted with the two seed sources as one factor and eight germination temperatures ranging from 0 to 35°C as the second. Observations made were time to reach maximum number of germinants (D), and total number of germinants (G). The germination index (GI) and coefficient of velocity (CV) were developed using the data generated. Both seed sources had the greatest number of germinants between 10 to 20°C. The germination and germination indices profiles are distinct for each ecotype. The Saskatchewan ecotype germinated at higher levels below and above 10 to 20°C, a characteristic that should be of use for establishing winterfat in the highly variable environments of the Northern Great Plains.
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