Stipa (comata)

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:	Stipa comata
Common Name:	Needle-and-thread
Species Code:	STCO4
Ecotype:	See
General Distribution:	Prairies, plains, and dry hills and generally in rocky soils; British Columbia to Ontario, eastern Cascades in Washington and Oregon to California, Texas, Nebraska, and Indiana.
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 43 kg/ha (38 lbs/ac).
Propagule Collection:	Wildland collection occurs late July to mid August when caryopsis is tan-brown, at the hard dough stage, and not yet shattering (natural dispersal) from the panicle; difficult to hand-harvest. One collection hour/person will yield an average 49 grams (1.7 oz) clean seed (ranges 13 to 152 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. Seed is threshed with a hammermill through a 12/64" round hole screen; this process is repeated until awns are significantly reduced or completly removed. A Clipper M2B or Eclipse air-screen cleaner with a 12/64" round hole screen is used to process the threshed material. Due to the elongated seed shape, long, divergent, persistent awns, and reduced seed flow, this species is difficult to clean. Larger seed lots are processed most efficiently with mechanized cleaning equipment and smaller seed lots usually require more hand labor. Seeds/Kg: 149,431. Purity: 100%.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Seed Treatments: None required.
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 91 cm (36 in) row spacing, seeded with 2-row double-disc planter with depth bands, optimum seeding depth 0.6 cm (0.25 in). Establishment Phase: Soil surface is kept moist throughout the 14 day germination and emergence period (also helps prevent soil crusting); lower rates of Buctrylr 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/acre in 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 early to mid July, with a mean harvest date of July 9 at the Bridger Plant Materials Center. The grass stand may be prone to lodging, due to a fairly tall, willowy habit. The laid over material is difficult to pick up with the swather head/cutter bar and becomes subject to seed loss. 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. A feasible alternative to traditional methods is to bale the swathed windrows into small, square hay-type bales and store in a dry environment until transport to the planting site. Depending on stand productivity, a 65 lb. bale may contain the equivalent of 3-4 lbs. of seed. The straw-like material is spred directly on the prepared soil surface to an approximate depth of 1 inch. Because the corkscrew-like awn is still attached, the seed has the ability to imbed itself in the soil. 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> 7-10 years.
Other Comments:	Ecotype: 2 different Yellowstone National Park accessions periodically collected and produced from 1987 to 2000. Ecological zone is bluebunch wheatgrass/Sandberg's bluegrass type. Elevation 1,609 m and 1,652 m (5,280 ft to 5,420 ft).
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.) Stipa comata seeds USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center Bridger, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/05/04). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.