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Effects of Date and Depth of Planting on the Establishment of Three Range Grasses¹

The optimum depth of planting for cool-season introduced grasses under field conditions on range lands, particularly on the Central Great Plains, has received limited study. Whereas most previous studies on date of planting have been with fall planting, the author has had considerable success for 15 years with spring experimental plantings in northern Colorado. The following experiment was conducted to determine the optimum spring planting date, to find the optimum depth for spring seeding, and to evaluate date and depth of seeding interactions.

Crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schult.], pubescent wheatgrass [A. trichophorum (Link) Richt.] and Russian wildrye (Elymus lunceus Fisch.) were planted at depths of 1.3, 2.5, 3.8, and 5.1 cm on average dates of planting of April 4, April 18, May 4, May 20, and June 9, 1967 through 1970 north of Fort Collins, Colo. Crested wheatgrass and Russian wildrye were also planted at the same depths on average dates of planting of April 20, May 3, May 18, and June 8, 1968 through 1970 on Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) near Nunn, Colo. Establishment was evaluated from seedling counts made in September of the year of planting. At Fort Collins the greatest average number of seedlings was obtained from the April 18, May 4, and May 20 dates of seeding. Although year-to-year variations were great, the most reliable establishment was from the April 18 planting. At CPER, establishment from the June 8 planting was markedly poorer than for the three earlier dates of planting. Number of seedlings per meter of row was essentially the same for 1.3- and 2.5-cm planting depths within species and locations except that crested wheatgrass averaged 12% more seedlings from 1.3- than from 2.5-cm depths at Fort Collins. At 3.8 cm, numbers declined to about 50% of those in the shallower depths and declined still more at 5.1 cm. The decline was about 50% as much for pubescent wheatgrass as for crested wheatgrass and Russian wildrye, Soil moisture in the zone 2.5 to 5.1 cm deep appeared to be most critical for establishment. When moisture at this soil depth averaged less than 12% following seeding, stands contained only 53% as many seedlings as when the soil moisture averaged above 12%.

Key Words: Crested wheatgrass • Pubescent wheatgrass • Russian wildrye • Central Great Plains • Soil moisture • Range seeding

² Range Scientist, ARS, USDA, and Faculty Affiliate, Department of Range Science, Colorado State University.

Received for publication May 10, 1972.