NEWS

United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
9173 W. Barnes Dr., Suite C
Boise, Idaho 83709
 
For More Information:

Dan Ogle, 208/685-6987
 

THE USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plant Material Center Unveils ‘Vavilov II’
A rapidly establishing Siberian Wheatgrass for arid and semi-arid pasture and rangeland

Aberdeen, Idaho, May 07, 2008.—USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Plant Material Center (PMC) announces the release of the cultivar, ‘Vavilov II’ Siberian Wheatgrass.

Vavilov II is a rapidly establishing grass for the Intermountain West, Great Basin and Northern Great Plains Regions of the United States.   Vavilov II was developed and tested as part of a cooperative program to identify resilient cultivated plant strains for use on military bases, arid to semi-arid rangelands and areas invaded by weeds such as cheatgrass.  It was selected for its persistence, and for its overall vigor in response to drought.  Extensive evaluations on rangeland in the west showed Vavilov II to have superior forage yields compared with other existing commercially available strains of Siberian wheatgrass.

“Rapid seedling establishment is a major key to successful grass plantings in arid regions of the western United States,” Plant Material Specialist, Dan Ogle, said. “Vavilov II is the most rapidly establishing grass we have available for use on arid and semi-arid rangelands.”

Vavilov II will be recognized in the Breeder, Foundation, Registered and Certified seed classes. Breeder seed will be maintained at the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Forage and Range Laboratory in Logan, Utah. The USDA, NRCS PMC in Aberdeen, Idaho will grow and maintain Foundation seed. Protection as a certified seed is being applied for under the U.S. Plant Variety Protection act of 1994.

Seed growers can contact The University of Idaho Foundation Seed Program or the Utah Crop Improvement Association to obtain Foundation seed for commercial production.  Certified seed of Vavilov II will be available in about two years.

If you need more information about the CSP program, please contact your local USDA Service Center, listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture, or your local conservation district. Information also is available online at http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/

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