MATRIC PRIMING INCREASES GERMINATION RATE OF GREAT-BASIN NATIVE PERENNIAL GRASSES

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) is an undesirable nonnative annual tha t germinates at relatively low temperatures in the spring and fall and can establish a root system more quickly than Great Basin native pere nnial grasses. The purpose of this study was to determine whether seed priming could be used to enhance low-temperature germination rate of native perennial grasses so that they can better compete with cheatgra ss. A matric-printing technique was used to increase low-temperature g ermination rate of seven native perennial grasses: bluebunch wheatgras s [Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) Love], thickspike wheatgrass [Elymu s lanceolatus (Scribn. & J.G. Smith) Gould; syn. Agropyron dasystachyu m (Hook.) Scribn.], basin wildrye [Leymus cinereus (Scribn. and Merr.) A. Love], sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.), canby bluegrass (Poa canby i Scribn.), sandberg bluegrass (Poa sandbergii Vasey), and bottlebrush squirreltail [Sitanion hystrix (Nutt.) J.G. Smith]. Seeds primed at b oth 10 and 25-degrees-C were evaluated for germination response at bot h 10 and 25-degrees-C. Days to 50% germination (D50) was almost-equal- to 4 d for cheatgrass germinated at 10-degrees-C. Native grass seeds i n control treatments germinated between about 4 and 11 d later than ch eatgrass at 10-degrees-C. Priming reduced D50 by between 4 and 8 d for all native species when germinated at 10-degrees-C. Germination rate at 10-degrees-C was generally higher when the seeds were primed at 25- degrees-C, except for basin wildrye. Priming increased cold temperatur e germination rate of bluebunch wheatgrass, thickspike wheatgrass, and sheep fescue to a level comparable to cheatgrass.