Influence of seed location and planting depth on seedling establishment in cattle dungpats

Abstract

AbstractThis study was conducted to investigate the effects of seed location in dungpats on emergence, shoot and root development and survival of seedlings of bluebunch wheatgrass (Psuedoroegneria spicata [Pursh] A. Love) and Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda L.) and to know the potential of using fecal seeding as an alternative revegetation strategy on rangelands. Artificially‐prepared 4‐cm thick dungpats of 20 cm diameter were placed on a sandy loam soil in large plastic containers. Animals were fed 60 000 seeds of each grass species and passed seeds were recovered from dung collected at the time of maximum seed passage. Pre‐germinated undamaged passed seeds of each species were planted separately in the center and periphery of the dungpats at heights of 0.5, 2.0 and 3.5 cm from the bottom of the dungpats. Seedlings were harvested 10, 30 and 60 days after planting and measured for shoot height, number of leaves and tillers and root length. Seedling emergence, survival and total root length were greatest when seeds of both species were planted in the periphery of the dungpats at a height of 0.5 cm from the bottom of the dungpats. Seedling emergence and survival were greater for bluebunch wheatgrass than for Sandberg bluegrass. Seed location did not have an effect on height or tiller growth of seedlings for either species.