Recent Advances in Germination Technology:

CDA Nursery Whitebark Pine Production

Foundation high-elevation habitat species

Threatened by rust fungi (C. ribicola), uncharacteristically severe wildfire, and pine beetles

Restoration is complicated by slow growth, site severity, and limited access

Planting rust-resistant containerized seedlings is currently the standard (Mahalovich, et al 2006)

Whitebark Pine Summary:

WBP Production at CdA NurseryBegan in 1985

Over 2,000 separate WBP seed lots

Over 3,055 lbs of WBP seed processed since 1985

Over 1,200 lbs of WBP seed currently stored

WBP Seed Processing Trend:

91-'9

619

9719

9819

9920

0020

0120

0220

0320

0420

0520

0620

0720

0820

0920

1020

110

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Seed

Pro

cess

ed (

Lbs)

Approx. 2,700 seeds/lb

High-Five Pine Seedling ProductionContainer stock WBP

Produced for restoration since 1990’s

Many Forests in Regions 1, 2, 4, and 6

Over 624,000 trees produced since 1990

Continuing to streamline production

WBP Seedling Production Trend:

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

20406080

100120140160180200

9 1 3 8 4 530

85 95

190WBP Seedlings Produced (K)

Sowing Year

Obstacles to WBP GerminationPhysiological embryo

dormancy (requires stratification)

Seed coat dormancy / impermeability (requires scarification) (Riley, et al 2007)

Historically poor and inconsistent germination

Scant research on WBP germination protocols

Existing ProtocolsGrow

erPre-

Treatment

Warm Strat

Cold Strat Scarification Germination

Dorena Genetic Resourc

e Center*

H2O2Soak / Rinse

30 days @

50°F

90 days@

33-35°F

Seeds individually hand sanded along center-

line.

Small seedlots; germinated

artificially, then hand

transplanted. Glacier National Park**

48 hr cold-water

rinse (+ pre-strat scarif.)

90 days@

70°F day / 64°F night

30-100 days

@33-35°F

Pre-strat, seeds

individually hand sanded or knicked.

Direct seeded into containers, or germinated

artificially, and hand

transplanted.Coeur

d’ Alene Nursery

48 hr cold-water rinse

30 days @

50-60 °F

60 days@

33-35°F

3-4 hours mechanized sanding of bulk seed

Direct seeded into containers,

minimal/no hand transplanting

*Riley, et al 2007**Wick, et al 2008

Scarification study conducted at CdA Nursery-

4 seedlots, 9 sanding treatments, 3.0 - 7.5 hours

Showed no significant difference between lots sanded 3+ hours

2010 WBP Crop

3 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 3 + T0

20

40

60

80

100

Burke7425Puz-zle-Hills

Sanding Time (Hrs)

Cel

ls F

illed

(%

),

Day

35

2011 WBP CropNo study conducted

Erratic and lower than expected germination

Considerable latent germination, especially when exposed to direct sun / warm temperatures

New germinate crop after additional 30 day cold stratification

Goal: Increase operational production efficiency by:Improving germination consistencyEliminating the need for re-stratificationReducing handling and sorting costs, and media wasteUsing valuable seed more efficiently

Stratification study conducted at CdA Nursery Current scarification protocols + increased stratification

2012 WBP Crop

Existing ProtocolsGrow

erPre-

Treatment

Warm Strat

Cold Strat Scarification Germination

Dorena Genetic Resourc

e Center

*

H2O2Soak / Rinse

30 days @

50°F

90 days@

33-35°F

Seeds individually hand sanded along center-

line.

Small seedlots; germinated

artificially, then hand

transplanted. Glacier National Park

**

48 hr cold-water

rinse (+ pre-strat scarificati

on)

90 days@

70°F day / 64°F night

30-100 days

@33-35°F

Pre-strat, seeds

individually hand sanded or knicked.

Direct seeded into containers, or germinated

artificially, and hand

transplanted.

Coeur d’ Alene Nursery

48 hr cold-water rinse

30 days @

50-60 °F

60 days@

33-35°F

3 hours mechanized sanding of bulk seed

Direct seeded into containers,

minimal/no hand transplanting*Riley, et al

2007**Wick, et al 2008

23 operational seedlots, 6 breeding zones

30 warm / 90 cold strat + 3 hour bulk sanding

Standard operational greenhouse growing conditions

Measured number of viable germinates in August, 2012. (at least 7% sample size per lot, average 23%)

Factors included: Breeding zone Sowing date Source elevation Seedlot age

Materials and Methods

Results - Overall GerminationW

B14

0910

93

WB

0209

1081

FRE

EZE

OU

T10

VIP

ON

DPA

RK

10

WB

0303

0092

GR

OU

SEM

TN09

UN

ION

PASS

09

DE

AD

LIN

E11

WB

P206

7

WB

P206

6

WB

P126

2-09

WB

P206

8

SAW

TELL

09

BE

TA_D

ESE

RT_

NI

HO

RN

ET1

1

NA

PA_S

UN

SET1

1

BIG

MTN

11

LITT

LEJO

E10

BU

RK

E09

OLD

MA

N

RIS

ING

WO

LF

WH

ITE

CA

LF

PRE

STO

NPA

RK

07

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

By Seedlot - Mean = 70%

Results – Germination by Factors

BTIP

CFLPCLM

TGYG

TM

SGPSK

CS10%

30%

50%

70%

90%

5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.010%

30%

50%

70%

90%

R² = 0.00593342942660802

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 201210%

30%

50%

70%

90%

R² = 0.0791184843442356

Breeding Zone

Seed Collection Date

Sowing Date

Elevation (K ft.)

1/1 2/20 4/10 5/3010%

30%

50%

70%

90%

R² < 0.001

Consistent germination near 70%

No significant correlation between germination and:Breeding zoneSowing dateSource elevation

No significant correlation between germ and collection year, but data is limited

Discussion – 2012 Data

Discussion – 2011 vs. 2012 Germination

WB02

0910

81

WB02

0910

81'

GROUSEM

...

GROUSEM

T...

SAW

TELL

09

SAW

TELL

09'

UNIONPA

SS09

UNIONPA

S...

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90% 90 days vs. 120 days

2012 Original2011 Restrat2011 Original

Using new WBP stratification / scarification protocol,

Seed origin, elevation, and sow date showed no significant effect on germination percentage

Seed age showed no significant effect on germination, although most lots (78%) were 2009 or newer

Compared to 2011, 2012 sowing had far superior initial germination, presumably due to increased stratification time

Conclusions

120 day strat, less emphasis on other factors

Reduce % oversow = seed savings

Request clients make timely orders (Sept.-Oct.)!

Test for seed age effect

Test sowing techniques, top dressing, etc. to increase lg. scale production efficiency

Direction for CdA Nursery

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Mahalovich, MF, Burr, KE, and Foushee, DL. 2006. Whitebark pine germination, rust resistance, and cold hardiness among seed sources in the Inland Northwest: Planting strategies for restoration. In: USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-43. 2006.

Riley, LE, Coumas, CM, Danielson, JF, and Berdeen, JC. 2007. Seedling nursery culture of whitebark pine at Dorena Genetic Resource Center: Headakes, successes, and growing pains. In: USDA Forest Service R6-NR-FHP-2007-01.

Wick, D, Luna, T, Evans, J, and Hosokowa, J. 2008. Propagation protocol for production of container Pinus albicaulis Engelm. Plants (172 ml conetainers); USDI NPS-Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT. In: Native Plant Network.

References