Alderson Plant Materials Center (PMC)

Overview

The Plant Materials Center serves Appalachia by evaluating plants for their ability to solve specific conservation problems related to climate, the rugged topography, soil limitations, various land uses, fish and wildlife needs and desires of the landowners. The center provides a place for conducting systematic observations and evaluations of plants needed to protect our natural resources.

The Center’s program emphasizes improving forage production on hillside pastures, address problems associated with concentrated livestock, reclamation of mined lands, streambank stabilization, agro-forestry, wildlife habitat improvement, and utilization of economic and culturally valuable plants.

2004 Accomplishments

	Ramp, Allium tricoccum, Propagation & Cultivation Techniques for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation
Allium tricoccum seedhead at the PMC

The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation requested plant materials assistance with development of cultivation techniques for Allium tricoccum, or ramps, in 2002.

The Cherokee have traditionally harvested ramps from wild colonies on reservation and park land by digging and removing the entire plant in early spring. The National Park Service has become concerned that ramps are being over harvested in the Park.

In an effort to be proactive, the Cherokee have opted to move from traditional spring ramp gathering from wild populations to establishment and management of "backyard" ramp gardens for their people. The Alderson Plant Materials Center will assist the Cherokee to bring this culturally significant wild plant into cultivation. The goal is to develop a dependable supply of ramps for the Cherokee.

	National Park Service Stones River National Battlefield Native Plant Restoration
Symphyotrichum drummondii at Stones River National Battlefield

Stones River National Battlefield, located in Middle Tennessee on the northwestern edge of Murfreesboro, is the site of a significant battle during the War Between the States in 1862. Vegetation and terrain played an important role in the outcome of this battle. The battlefield's vegetation has botanical and ecological value as well as historical significance. The site is host to a number of rare and endemic plant species and unique plant communities.

Introduced and exotic plant species have encroached onto many areas of the battlefield. Park managers identified restoration of native plant communities as a high priority for maintenance of the parks circa 1862 authenticity. The Alderson PMC has agreed to work with the National Park Service to collect seed, develop propagation techniques, and produce seedling plants and/or seed of the targeted species for plant community restoration within the park. Seed collect in 2004 was planted in 2004.

The Alderson Plant Materials Center continued to assist the US Army Corps. Of Engineers - Huntington District with restoration of native plants at the Marmet Locks and Dam Project. These plants will then be reintroduced to assist with re-establishment of genetic diversity on the site.

	Saving West Virginia’s Balsam Fir
Abies balsamea seedling production at Alderson Plant Materials Center

Abies balsamea, balsam fir is native to high elevation areas in West Virginia. However, balsam fir numbers are declining due to a serious infestation of the balsam wooly adelgid.

Several conservation groups have recognized the rapid decline of the fir in West Virginia and have formed a partnership with the US Department of the Interior and the Plant Materials Center to restore balsam fir to four natural areas in the West Virginia Highlands.

The PMC is responsible for seed banking and producing seedlings for reintroduction to the natural areas where the seed was harvested.

	Giant Cane Rapid Propagation Study
Arundinaria gigantea stand near Malden, WV

Arundinaria gigantea, giant cane or bamboo is our largest native grass. Giant cane covered extensive areas of the southeastern United States at the time of European settlement. These areas were known as canebrakes and they disappeared rapidly following settlement due to a combination of factors.

The NRCS has developed an interest in rapidly propagating giant cane for use as a streambank erosion control plant and other conservation uses. The Alderson PMC received plants from 9 different locations. These plants will be evaluated with regard to survival, rate of spread, and ability to produce new plants from division of rhizomes.

The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation are interested in propagating large diameter plants that are suitable for their basketry. The Alderson PMC will assist the Cherokee with development of propagation and management techniques to ensure their crafters have a dependable supply of large diameter cane plants.

	‘Quickstand’ Bermudagrass Forage Production Demonstration Project
Plant Materials Center’s No-till Bermudagrass Sprig Planter

‘Quickstand’ bermudagrass is a commercially available bermudagrass that was selected by the Plant Materials Center for use as forage and turf.

‘Quickstand’ bermudagrass was discovered at the former location of the Plant Materials Center in Quicksand, Kentucky and found to be well adapted to the Appalachian region. In fact, this cultivar has proven to be incredibly cold hardy. It not only survives, but thrives at 3000 feet in elevation in West Virginia! However, like most bermudagrasses, ‘Quickstand’ does not produce viable seed. Thus, new stands must be established by transplanting live plants through a process called “sprigging” that requires specialized equipment.

Interest in use of bermudagrass as forage has increased dramatically within the Center’s service area recently. The Plant Materials Center recognized that equipment unavailability was a problem with use bermudagrass as a forage and purchased a no-till sprig planter for use in establishing demonstration plantings.

	Central Appalachian White Clover Germplasm Characterization Study
Central Appalachian White Clover Observation Block

The Plant Materials Center is cooperating with Dr. Paul Voigt, retired Agricultural Research Service clover breeder, to provide white clover base populations that could be used in future cultivar germplasm development projects. Twelve white clover experimental populations and cultivars were planted in an observation block at the Plant Materials Center. Data collection began in 2003, and is expected to continue through at least 2005.

Link to most recent complete report: 2003 WV PMC Activity Report (463 KB) or http://www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov/03_aldactrpt.pdf

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