Seed production of native grasses and herbs in Austria

Bernhard Krautzer & Albin Blaschka, AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein

Ecological Restoration and Sustainable Development

Establishing Links Across Frontiers

7th SER European Conference on Ecological Restoration

Avignon, 23-27 August 2010

Seed production of native grasses and herbs

in Austria

B. Krautzer & A. BlaschkaAgricultural Research and Education Centre

Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Austria


The Austrian seed market

Grassland, forage

(approx. 86 000 ha/year)

Landscaping


Intertillage, catch crops,

fallow, othersapprox. 110 000 ha/year)

6 832 t1 783 t5 049 t2003 - 2007

totallegumesgrassesdemand / year

Source: Statistik Austria, AGES, AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein

Turf



The Austrian seed market - Landscaping

2 50013500total

1 2006 000Infrastructure (e.g. road construction, railway embankments, pipelines, cables etc.)

9004 500Landscaping (e.g. public green, flood retention)

4003 000High altitude restoration (ski runs, lifts, snowing equipment, risk prevention)

tonshaPotential annual areas and quantities





Seed production of

Leontodon hispidus and Dianthus cartusianorum




Harvest of tufted hairgrass (Avenella flexuosa)






GrassesAgrostis capillaris

Anthoxanthum odoratumAvenella flexuosa

Bellardiochloa variegataBriza media

Bromus inermisDeschampsia cespitosa ssp. alpina

Festuca nigrescensFestuca picturata

Festuca pseudoduraFestuca supinaKoeleria pyramidata

Phleum hirsutumPhleum rhaeticum

Poa alpina

LegumesAnthyllis vulneraria ssp. alpestris

Trifolium badiumTrifolium nivale

ForbsAchillea millefoliumDianthus superbus

Leontodon hispidusSilene dioica

Silene nutansSilene vulgaris

Site specific species for ecological restoration at the sub-alpine and alpine vegetation belt


Site specific species for ecological restoration of semi-natural grassland

ForbsAgrimonia eupatoria

Buphthalmum salicifoliumCampanula patula

Centaurea jaceaCentaurea scabiosa

Daucus carotaDianthus carthusianorum

Dianthus deltoidesGalium verum

Helianthemum nummulariumHieracium pilosellaHypericum perforatum

Knautia arvensisLeontodon hispidus

Leucanthemum vulgareLychnis viscaria

Prunella grandifloraSalvia pratensis

Scabiosa columbariaSilene vulgaris

Thymus pulegioidesVeronica teucrium

GrassesAgrostis ssp.

Anthoxanthum odoratumArrhenaterum elatius

Brachypodium pinnatumBriza media

Bromus erectusFestuca nigrescens

Festuca rupicolaHelictotrichon pubescens

Koeleria pyramidataPoa angustifolia

LegumesAnthyllis vulnerariaMedicago lupulinaTrifolium dubium

Trifolium campestreTrifolium arvense





Seed production areaand number of propagated species

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

1992 1996 2003 2008 2010

pro

duction a

rea h

a-1

Herbs

Grasses

2

5

12

39

51


Seed production area (ha-1) in Austria

3

12

92 90

18

24,4

82

2

0

40

80

120

1992 1996 2003 2008 2010

Herbs

Grasses

1017,3

4,5

18,3

0

40

80

120

1992 1996 2003 2008 2010

Species for high altitude

restoration

Species for restoration of

semi-natural grassland


Bio-geographical regions in Austria



Important characteristics of chosen species

seed row spacing weed yield TSW GC purity

specie rate cm control* kg ha-1 g % %

Avenella flexuosa 10-12 12-15 3 100-300 0,75 86 97

Deschampsia alpina 6-8 15-20 2 150-400 0,26 85 99

Festuca nigrescens 6-8 20-25 1 600-1300 1,25 86 95

Festuca pseudodura 8-10 20 1 300-800 0,95 82 95

Festuca supina 6-8 15-20 1 200-500 0,52 82 97

Phleum alpinum 8-12 20-25 2 180-350 0,50 75 91

Phleum hirsutum 8-10 15-20 2-3 150-500 0,30 70 99

Poa alpina 6-8 15-20 2 300-700 0,35 78 90

Poa violacea 8-10 15-20 3 150-500 0,35 75 95

Anthyllis alpestris 8-10 20-45 2-3 80-370 3,34 92 96

Anthyllis vulneraria 8-10 20-45 2 120-400 3,28 94 97

Trifolium badium 10-12 15-20 3 150-250 1,00 84 98

Trifolium nivale 8-12 20-25 2 200-400 1,60 85 98

Leontodon hispidus 10-12 15-20 2-3 60-180** 1,35 73 96

* 1 = easy, 2 = difficult, 3 = very difficult ** harvests per year







Festuca supina 6-8 15-20 1 200-500 0,52 82 97

Phleum alpinum 8-12 20-25 2 180-350 0,50 75 91

Phleum hirsutum 8-10 15-20 2-3 150-500 0,30 70 99

Poa alpina 6-8 15-20 2 300-700 0,35 78 90

Poa violacea 8-10 15-20 3 150-500 0,35 75 95













Festuca supina 6-8 15-20 1 200-500 0,52 82 97

Phleum alpinum 8-12 20-25 2 180-350 0,50 75 91

Phleum hirsutum 8-10 15-20 2-3 150-500 0,30 70 99

Poa alpina 6-8 15-20 2 300-700 0,35 78 90

Poa violacea 8-10 15-20 3 150-500 0,35 75 95








Development of yield (kg ha-1)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Festuca

nigrescens

Poa alpina Trifolium

badium

200

600

350380

720

600600

1350

890

50

250

80100

600

200210

1150

370

10

8070

40

14070

170

350

235

1994 2002 2008 1994 2002 2008 1999 2004 2008

Festuca nigrescens Poa alpina Trifolium badium

kg/h

a


Thresholdsfor germinative capacity, purity and weeds

Latin Name German Name Germinative Capacity Purity Weeds

(%) (%) (%)

Grasses

Anthoxanthum odoratum Gew. Ruchgras 70 90 3

Arrhenatherum elatius Glatthafer 75 90 3

Avenella pubescens Flaumhafer 70 90 2

Briza media Zittergras 70 90 2

Bromus erectus Aufrechte Trespe 75 90 1,5

Festuca amethystina Amethyst-Schwingel 70 90 1,5

Festuca rupicola Furchenschwingel 70 90 1,5

Festuca rubra comm. Rossschwingel 80 90 1,5

Koeleria pyramidata Wiesen-Kammschmiele 70 90 1,5

Herbs German Name Germinative Capacity Purity Weeds

Agrimonia eupatoria Echter Odermennig 60 95 2

Anthyllis vulneraria Wundklee 70 97 1,5

Buphthalmum salicifolium Rindsauge 60 95 2

Centaurea jacea Wiesen-Flockenblume 70 95 2

Centaurea scabiosa Skabiosen-Flockenblume 70 95 2

Galium verum Gelb-Labkraut 60 95 2

Helianthemum nummularium Zweifarben-Sonnenröschen 60 95 2

Hieracium pilosella Kleines Habichtskraut 60 95 2

Hypericum sp. Johanniskraut 60 95 2

Hypericum maculatum Flecken-Johanniskraut 60 95 2

Leontodon hispidus Wiesen-Löwenzahn 60 95 2

Leucanthemum vulgare agg. Wiesen-Margerite 70 97 1,5

Lychnis viscaria Gewöhnliche Pechnelke 70 95 2

Prunella grandiflora Großblütige Brunelle 60 95 2

Rhinanthus minor Kleiner Klappertopf 60 95 2

Salvia pratensis Wiesen-Salbei 60 95 2

Scabiosa columbaria Tauben-Skabiose 60 95 2

Thymus pulegioides Arznei-Quendel 60 95 2

Veronica teucrium Groß-Ehrenpreis 60 95 2


Conclusions

Farmers need a lot of special know how, experience and support from experts

A learning process of several years is a precondition for successful seed production

Provided that average yields are reached, seed multiplication of site-specific species is highly profitable in most cases, but

Variation in yield is high, therefore: seed multiplication of site-specific species is risky


Conclusions

seed production has to go hand in hand with the development (creation) of the market

expansion of production area as well as improved production techniques let prices drop

close co-operations with research institutions are important for further development

steady consultation and contact to users and administrative bodies are a precondition for broad acceptance of such a high price product


Thank you

for your attention!

Documents

Seed production of native grasses and herbs in Austria