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NATIVE SEED SCOOP

Policy News

International Standards for Native Seeds

The International Network for Seed Based Restoration is hosting a virtual webinar and panel discussion on Wednesday, Sept 2, 2020 at 6:00-pm CDT to launch the “International Principles and Standards for Native Seeds in Ecological Restoration.”

In a recent announcement, they suggest how these standards may be used: "...the guidance statements provide the foundation upon which regulatory approaches can be developed by constituencies and jurisdictions."

They welcome participation from “suppliers, end-users, industry, government and NGO’s…to learn and speak first hand with some of the authors of the Native Seed Standards. This is your chance to find out what the Standards mean for you and to discuss their application with the authors and other experts.”

Allowable Differences between Seed Tests

Learn more about the AOSA Rules tolerance limits for differences between seed tests on the same seed lot and what questions to ask a lab if test differences are outside those accepted ranges.
 
“When Germination Test Results Don’t Match,” by David Johnston, President of AOSA, in Seed Today, Third Quarter 2020, page 36. Read online at https://www.seedtoday.com/digital-editions

Production Topics

Herbicide Drift

The Xerces Society has recently released a report on the effects of Dicamba drift on wild plants. You can download it from this site: https://xerces.org/publications/scientific-reports/drifting-toward-disaster

At the Tallgrass Prairie Center in early August, we observed leaf cupping and abnormal seed heads on Sweet Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia subtomentosa. This damage is consistent with herbicide drift though these plots were about 100 yards from the nearest potential source. We have contacted IDALS Pesticide Bureau for a site assessment.

Commercial native seed producers with fields ½ acre or larger are eligible to enroll their fields as “commercial nursery crops” in DriftWatch, the registry for specialty crops through FieldWatch https://fieldwatch.com/. The new system is easier to use, and re-registering each year only takes a few clicks, according to TPC Prairie on Farms program manager, Andy Dunham.

More information on the Registry can be found at https://iowaagriculture.gov/SensitiveCropRegistry  

Events

Virtual Workshop on Climate-Resilient Seed Sourcing  

  • September 15, 2020 from 9:00 – 12:30 CDT, registration opens August 31, 2020
  • The Grassland Restoration Network is hosting this workshop “to engage seed users and seed producers in the discussion and to explore options for best practices. There will be a recording of the workshop available after the event and we also anticipate the formation of a working group around this topic.”
  • For more information, visit https://grasslandrestorationnetwork.org/

Plan It Native Virtual Conference 

  • September 16–18, 2020
    • Wednesday 9/16  |  1:00pm-5:00pm CDT
    • Thursday 9/17  |  1:00pm-5:00pm CDT
    • Friday 9/18  |  8:30am-12:30pm CDT
  • Sessions include inspiring case studies, information on best practices, and experts sharing technical know-how on a wide variety of topics. Recorded sessions are available for registered attendees for up to one year following the conference.
  • Information and Registration at: https://planitnative.org/

Plant Profile

Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Eutrochium maculatum 

  • Range – Reported from across Iowa, except for the far SW corner of the state, and native to all states neighboring Iowa.
  • Applications – This species is suitable for wet soils and can be found as relict populations in roadside ditches. It is a preferred mid-late season nectar source for numerous pollinator species.
  • Production – Irrigate. If using plastic mulch, spread out the holes the second season to allow clumps to spread. Remove plastic mulch after two years or so; plants do a great job of suppressing weeds in the plot.
  • Harvest - Most seeds are ripe enough when the central part of a cluster is fluffy. Pull out the seeds of a closed head at the edge of the cluster to see if the achenes are dark. If so, they’re mature enough to pick. To preserve genetic diversity, we hand harvest early-ripening stems and follow up with the combine. This species has typical harvest/cleaning issues for small, fluffy seed.
Seed heads of Spotted Joe Pye Weed are just starting to turn fluffy at the Tallgrass Prairie Center seed production plots. The TPC offers Zone 1 (northern Iowa) ecotype seed of Spotted Joe Pye Weed to native seed growers.

In other news...

Prairie dropseed in flower at the Tallgrass Prairie Center. Prescribed fire appears to stimulate flowering in this long-lived bunchgrass.
Give us your scoop! Share your suggestions with me at laura.walter@uni.edu

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Plant Materials Program Manager

Laura Fischer Walter
laura.walter@uni.edu
(319) 273-3005

Tallgrass Prairie Center
University of Northern Iowa
2412 West 27th Street,
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0294
(319) 273-3836

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Tallgrass Prairie Center · 2412 W. 27th Street · University Of Northern Iowa · Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0001 · USA

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