Elymus (trachycaulus)

Mark E. Majerus USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center 99 South River Road, Rte. 2, Box 1189 Bridger, Montana 59014-9718 (406) 662-3579 (406) 662-3428 (fax) mmajerus@mt.nrcs.usda.gov http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/mtpmc

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Family Scientific Name:	Poaceae
Family Common Name:	Grass
Scientific Name:	Elymus trachycaulus
Common Name:	Slender wheatgrass
Species Code:	ELTRT
Ecotype:	See "Other Comments:"
General Distribution:	Moist to well-drained soils along rivers, meadows, and under open forest canopy; Labrador to Alaska, south to the mountains of West Virginia, Missouri, New Mexico, and California; northwestern Mexico.
Propagation Goal:	seeds
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Propagules (seeds, cuttings, poles, etc.)
Time To Grow:	0
Target Specifications:	Harvest yields vary due to weather and age of stand. Average annual production is 180 kg/ha (160 lbs/ac).
Propagule Collection:	Wildland collection occurs early to late August when caryopsis are tannish, at the hard dough stage, and not yet shattering (natural dispersal) from the spike; easily hand-harvested. One collection hour/person will yield an average 185 grams (6.5 oz) clean seed (ranges 131 to 247 grams and varies by year, stand density, and collector experience).
Propagule Processing:	Seed Processing: Seed is spread out on a tarp in a dry, sheltered environment and turned daily for approximately 3-5 days, until no moisture or warmth is detected. After drying, material is processed with a Wintersteiger plot combine at concave 1/4 open, speed 1000 rpm, and medium wind. Seed is threshed with a hammermill through a 8/64" round hole screen, and air-screen processed on a Clipper M2B or Eclipse cleaner over a 10/64" round hole screen. Due to medium-sized seed, absence of awns, fluff, or other seed debris, and good seed flow, this species is relatively easy to clean. Larger seed lots are processed most efficiently with mechanized cleaning equipment and smaller seed lots usually require more hand labor. Seeds/Kg: 317,000. Germination: 92%. Purity: 100%.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seed Treatments: Seeds placed in 0-1§C (32-34§F) for a 10-day cold stratification treatment and then exposed to 22-25§C (72-77§F).
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Propagation Environment: Seedbed is firm and free of weeds with good field moisture to 4" depth. Seed Propagation Method: Direct seeding.
Establishment Phase:	Sowing Date: Spring or dormant fall. Sowing/Planting Technique: 25-30 pure live seed/ft. (0.3 m) row, irrigated 91cm (36 in) row spacing, seeded with 2-row double-disk planter with depth bands, seeding depth 1.3 cm (0.5 in). Establishment Phase: Soil surface is kept moist throughout the 10 day germination and emergence period (also helps prevent soil crusting); lower rates of Buctryl or bromoxynil are applied at 3-5 leaf stage to control broadleaf weeds. Fertilizer application is not recommended the first year, as it generally stimulates weed growth and competition.
Length of Establishment Phase:	2 growing seasons.
Active Growth Phase:	Rapid Growth Phase: Spring to fall; broadleaf weed control with herbicides must occur prior to boot stage; soil moisture is critical during boot stage, milk stage of seed development, and post harvest to pre-freezeup - no irrigation is applied during flowering (pollination); fertilizer is broadcast at 100 lbs actual N/40 lbs actual P/acrein mid-September.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	2 to 3 growing seasons.
Hardening Phase:	N/A.
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Harvest Date: Cultivated harvest occurs mid to late July, with a mean harvest date of July 17 at the Bridger Plant Materials Center. A John Deer swather is used to cut stems into windrows for direct combining, or, to minimize seed loss, a temporary "diaper"- a heavy piece of plastic or canvas clipped under belt draper - is attached for direct catchment. Seed Storage: Seed is placed in plastic seed bags and stored in a cool, dry environment. Seed Dormancy: Classified as physiological dormancy
Length of Storage:	<b>Storage Duration:</b> 3 to 5 years.
Other Comments:	Ecotype: 13 different Yellowstone National Parl accessions periodically collected and produced from 1988 to 2000. Grassland and forest ecological zones include various Idaho fescue habitats, tufted hairgrass/sedge; subalpine fir phases, and various Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and Engelman spruce habitats. Elevation range 2,012 m to 2,573 m (6,600 ft to 8,440 ft). Comment: Slender wheatgrass is a short-lived perennial. Plant establishment is rapid and will persist in the native plant community for approximately 5 years.
References:	Manual of the Grasses of the United States, A. S. Hitchcock, Second Edition, Two Volumes, Dover Publications, Inc., 1970. Flora of the Pacific Northwest, C. L. Hitchcock and A. Cronquist, University of Washington Press, 1973. Montana Interagency Plant Materials Handbook, Montana State University, Extension Service Bulletin EB 69, June 1990. Yellowstone Vegetation - Consequences of Environment and History in a Natural Setting, Don G. Despain, Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 1990. Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, C. C. Baskin and J. M. Baskin, Academic Press, 2001.

Citation:

Winslow, Susan R.. 2002. Propagation protocol for production of Propagules (seeds, cuttings, poles, etc.) Elymus trachycaulus seeds USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center Bridger, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/20). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.