Plug Plants Research Articles

Prohexadione-calcium Decreases Fall Runners and Advances Branch Crowns of `Chandler' Strawberry in a Cold-climate Annual Production System

Balancing vegetative growth with fruiting is a primary concern in strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) production. Where nursery plant selection and preconditioning are inadequate for runner control, additional approaches are needed. The gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor prohexadione-Ca (commercial formulation Apogee) was tested over two seasons for suppressing fall runners of `Chandler' plug plants in a cold-climate annual hill production system. Prohexadione-Ca was applied as a foliar spray at active ingredient concentrations ranging from 60 to 480 mg·L-1, either as a single application 1 week after planting, or repeated at 3-week intervals. The lowest rate resulted in inadequate runner control, with some runners producing malformed daughter plants. Higher rates resulted in 57% to 93% reductions in fall runner numbers, with a concomitant increase in fall branch crown formation. There were no effects of the prohexadione-Ca treatments on plant morphology the following spring, and no adverse effects on fruit characteristics or yield. Chemical names used: prohexadione-calcium, calcium 3-oxido-4-propionyl-5-oxo-3-cyclohexene-carboxylate.

Off-season Strawberry Production under High Tunnel Compared to Open Field in Kansas

High tunnel strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) production experiment was conducted in south central Kansas, which consisted of two cultivars and four tunnels. The same experimental design was conducted under field conditions. The objectives of this study were to compare strawberry production and quality under high tunnels to those grown in the field and to assess the potential for high tunnels for early-season strawberry production. Plug plants of `Sweet Charlie' and `Chandler' were planted October 18. Plants were spaced at 12” × 12 “in double rows on raised beds covered with black plastic mulch. Protected plants under high tunnels had 100% winter survival rate compared to 60% of the field plants. Yield and berry quality of the high tunnel plants were by far better than those of field grown plants. Plant growth under high tunnels was about three to four fold higher than the unprotected field plants. `Sweet Charlie' flowered in early February and produced berries one week earlier than `Chandler'. Both cultivars were harvest from early April through late May at weekly interval. `Sweet Charlie' in early April produced an average berry weight of 14 g, soluble solids of 8 °Brix, and the largest average berry weight was 15 g. `Chandler' harvested late April produced larger berries than `Sweet Charlie' with the largest average berry weight of 35 g compared to 31 g for `Sweet Charlie'. In mid May, `Chandler' produced 72% higher yield than `Sweet Charlie'. High tunnel not only produced higher yield and better quality berries than field strawberries but it has a potential to produce early crop and extend the season production of strawberry in Kansas.

Rooting Medium Composition and In Vitro Rooting and Greenhouse Survival of Five Raspberry Cultivars

In vitro rooting and subsequent greenhouse survival of `Autumn Britten', `Boyne', `Comet',`Nova' and `Qualicum' raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) plantlets were compared following four weeks on a rooting medium with and without activated charcoal, and with 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 milligrams per litre IBA. The addition of charcoal significantly increased the percentage of plantlets that produced roots in vitro for the hard-to-root cultivars. Percent rooting in vitro was highest with the three lower levels of IBA. Root number was influenced only by the cultivar, while root diameter and length were affected by all the factors investigated. Greenhouse survival was affected by the cultivar, the presence or absence of charcoal and the IBA level in the in vitro rooting medium, with significant interactions. Provided charcoal was present in the rooting medium, the level of IBA didn`t alter survival. The addition of charcoal to the rooting medium improved greenhouse survival of the three hardest-to-root cultivars. Plug plant stem length; internode length and dry weight were increased by the presence of charcoal in the in vitro rooting medium for all but the easiest to establish cultivar. Chemical names used: 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA).

Fungus Gnats, Bradysia spp. (Diptera: Sciaridae), and Other Arthropods in Commercial Bagged Soilless Growing Media and Rooted Plant Plugs

Fungus gnats, Bradysia spp., in greenhouses cause economic losses to horticultural producers by damaging young root systems during plant propagation, by spreading soilborne diseases, and by reducing the marketability of the crop. In a greenhouse cage study, our observations suggested that bagged soilless growing media or rooted plant plugs from wholesale distributors may be sources for the introduction of fungus gnats into commercial greenhouse facilities. To evaluate these possibilities, carefully collected samples of bagged soilless growing media stored in the greenhouse, as well as bagged soilless growing media and rooted plant plugs delivered from midwestern wholesale distributors, were incubated under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Fungus gnats emerged from soilless media stored in the greenhouse, soilless media delivered from wholesale distributors, and from rooted plant plugs delivered from wholesale distributors. These results demonstrate that pasteurization of even bagged soilless media may be essential to effectively managing greenhouse populations of fungus gnats. However, pasteurization is not an option for responding to contamination of rooted plant plugs. Preliminary evidence is provided that application of entomopathogenic nematodes may offer potential as a method for managing fungus gnats in plant plugs, so long as treatment is early. Other arthropods found contaminating soilless media and rooted plant plugs included the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), Collembola, Acari, Formicidae, Staphylinidae, Psychodidae, and other Diptera.

Fungus Gnats, <I>Bradysia</I> spp. (Diptera: Sciaridae), and Other Arthropods in Commercial Bagged Soilless Growing Media and Rooted Plant Plugs

Fungus Gnats, <I>Bradysia</I> spp. (Diptera: Sciaridae), and Other Arthropods in Commercial Bagged Soilless Growing Media and Rooted Plant Plugs

COMPARISON OF STRAWBERRY PLUGS FROM DORMANT PLANTS TO CANADIAN TIP CUTTINGS

New Jersey strawberry plantings on plastic mulch are normally planted with plug plants from Canadian tip culture in the month of September. In order to utilize new cultivars, we evaluated the technique of growing plug plants from dormant plants out of cold storage (28°C). These plants were dug in April and placed in storage until mid-July. The dormant plants were transplanted into a 36-cell tray containing a peat-lite mix and grown over the summer months outdoors in full sunlight. Blooms were removed from the dormant plugs twice during August before planting. Runner tips from Canada were grown in a 50-cell tray containing a peat-lite mix during August in a nearby greenhouse and set out on September 9 in the field alongside the dormant plug plants in a randomized block design. The cultivars Chandler, Northeastern, Seneca, and Sweet Charlie were included in this study. Marketable yield of the dormant plants was 12579 kg/ha as compared to 15015 kg/ha from the Canadian tip plugs. Fruit size was 17.2 g/berry for the dormant plugs vs. 17.6 g/berry for the tip cuttings. Chandler remains the standard cultivar for commercial growers in New Jersey.

STRAWBERRY FRUIT AND PLUG PLANT PRODUCTION IN THE GREENHOUSE

Soilless greenhouse culture systems were used for winter fruit production and to produce stolon tips for plug plant propagation in the summer. In the first study, 'frigo' transplants were potted in July and August. Rooted plants were transferred to a hydroponic system in early October. Harvest commenced in late October in day-neutral 'Aromas', 'DIAMANTE', 'Seascape', 'Selva' and everbearing 'Everest' strawberries and in November in short-day 'Camarosa' and 'Chandler'. Seasonal yield ranged from ∼1.2 kg for Camarosa to 0.6 kg for Selva. Fruit size averaged > 40g at the beginning and gradually declined to < 15 g in June. When flower removal was extended to mid October, the yield increased 0.4 kg per plant and berry weight increased 0.5 g. Earliness, compact growth habit, and fruit production on short, stiff peduncles (e.g. 'DIAMANTE') are desirable traits for high density, protected cultivation of strawberries for winter fruit production. In the second study, in vitro grown 'Chandler' plants were established in Nutrient Film Technique gutters to produce stolons. The one-time harvest of 'strings' resulted in more than 90 daughter plants per mother plant with a wide range in size. With exception of very small daughter plants (< 1 g), the performance of plug plants that were derived from stolon tips greater than 1 g was satisfactory in a plasticulture fruit production system.

Uniconazole Application to Container Medium Surface Prior to Planting Bedding Plants

Uniconazole was applied as a spray to the surface of container media prior to planting bedding plant plugs. This medium spray was compared to a standard whole-plant spray applied 2 weeks after planting. For petunia (Petunia ×hybrida Vilm.) and coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides L.) the efficacy of the medium spray was similar to the whole-plant spray. However, for impatiens (Impatiens wallerana Hook. f.) and vinca [Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don.] the medium spray had greater efficacy than the whole-plant spray. Increased concentrations of uniconazole in the medium spray decreased plant height; however, the effect of higher concentrations was greater in a medium with out pine bark compared to a medium with pine bark as a component. In the above experiments, uniconazole was applied in a volume of 200 mL·m-2. In a test where spray volume varied, there was a negative linear relationship between plant height and spray volume. Chemical name used: (E)-(+)-(S)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-pent-1-ane-3-ol (uniconazole).

Effects of transplant type, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and soil treatment on growth and yield of strawberry in Florida

The effects of transplant type and soil treatment on growth and yield of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) produced in annual hill culture were evaluated for three years in Florida field trials. `Sweet Charlie' and `Camarosa' strawberry transplants were propagated as bare root, plug, and plugs amended with a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) treatment, LS213. The transplant treatments were evaluated in combination with methyl bromide, 1, 3-dichloropropene (Telone II), an unregistered iodine-based compound (Plantpro 45), and untreated soil. `Camarosa' plugs amended with LS213 had higher overall yields than bare root transplants in all three years. Both `Camarosa' and `Sweet Charlie' plug and LS213 plug plants produced yields approximately two weeks earlier than bare root transplants in all years. Regardless of transplant type, and in both consecutive years of Plantpro 45 and Telone application, treatment with Plantpro 45 resulted in smaller and less healthy root systems than other soil treatments, and treatment with Telone resulted in yields comparable to methyl bromide.

Temperature Conditioning and Container Size Affect Early Season Fruit Yield of Strawberry Plug Plants in a Winter, Annual Hill Production System

The demand for plug transplants by the Florida winter strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) industry may increase as water conservation during plant establishment becomes more important and the loss of methyl bromide fumigant makes the production of bare-root transplants more problematic. A study was conducted during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons to determine the effect of container size and temperature conditioning on the plant growth and early season fruit yield of `Sweet Charlie' strawberry plants. Plants in containers of three sizes (75, 150, and 300 cm3) were grown in one of two temperature-controlled greenhouses (35 °C day/25 °C night or 25 °C day/15 °C night) for the 2 weeks just prior to transplanting into a fruiting field at Dover, Fla. Plants exposed to the 25/15 °C treatment had significantly higher average root dry weights at planting in 1995 and 1996 than did plants exposed to the 35/25 °C treatment. Plants exposed to the 25/15 °C treatment also had higher average fruit yields than the plants exposed to the 35/25 °C treatment (48% and 18% higher in 1995-96 and 1996-97, respectively). The effect of container size on plant growth and yield was variable. Plants propagated in the 150- and 300-cm3 containers tended to be larger (at planting) than the plants propagated in the 75-cm3 containers, but the larger container sizes did not result in consistently higher yields.

Effect of different manuring and defoliation patterns on broad‐leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) in grassland

SummaryThe effects of cutting frequency and cutting height on broad‐leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) in Lolium perenne‐based agricultural grassland at two levels of fertiliser input were investigated at North Wyke, Devon, UK. Two micro‐plot field experiments, containing immature dock plants at uniform densities, with a factorial design, were used to compare: (a) ‘organic’ and ‘low‐input’ fertilisation, i.e. cattle slurry only vs slurry plus mineral fertiliser (NPK at 100‐0‐64 kg ha−1 yr−1), (b) cutting heights of 5–6 cm vs 10–12 cm, and (c) four harvesting frequencies representative of different grassland management practices (regular 4‐weekly cutting, a ‘hay‐stage’ cutting, and two treatments with ‘silage‐stage’ cutting). Expt 1 was established in 1995 with 13 dock plants m−2 (from excised dock‐root sections) and Expt 2 established in 1996 with 25 plants m−2 (as seed‐grown plug plants). Treatments were assessed over the 2 subsequent years to determine treatment effects on total herbage dry matter (DM) yield and dock DM yield, and on in‐situ measures of dock ramets. In both experiments, total DM yield was increased by 1.0–2.01 ha−1 yr−1 for treatments receiving NK fertiliser; the proportion of dock was also higher than from slurry‐only treatments. In Expt 1, the dock ramet density, mean dock ramet height, mean leaf length and numbers of dock leaves per m2 were also greater on NK fertilised treatments in autumn of yr 1. Height of cut had no consistent effect on dock yield, but dock ramet density and leaf density in autumn were greater on the 5–6 cm than the 10–12 cm cutting treatment, Expt 2 only. In yr 2 of both experiments cutting at 4‐weekly intervals resulted in less dock in the herbage than hay‐stage cutting and, particularly in Expt 1, there were associated differences in leaf density and ramet height in autumn; silage‐stage treatments were intermediate. Results are discussed in relation to requirements for management options where there is a need to avoid or reduce herbicides.

Efficacy of the Press Extraction Method for Bedding Plant Plug Nutrient Monitoring

There is a need for a substrate testing method suited for plug plant production. Methods currently used by most growers and analytical labs include the saturated media extract (SME) and the 2 water: 1 substrate (v/v) suspension. These methods are not particularly well-adapted to plug production. The press extraction (PE) method has been developed as a simple and quick alternative to these methods. However, interpretive standards for chemical analysis of plug substrates do not exist for PE. This study was designed to provide the necessary correlations between these methods to allow for development of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and nutrient interpretive ranges for plugs. Plugs of begonia (Begonia ×semperflorens-hybrida Hort.), impatiens (Impatiens walleriana Hook. f.), marigold (Tagetes erecta L.), petunia (Petunia ×hybrida Hort. Vilm.-Andr.), salvia (Salvia splendens F. Sellow ex Roem. &amp; Schult.), and vinca (Catharanthus roseus L.) were collected from commercial greenhouses and the substrate solution extracted with the PE, SME, and 1:2 methods. Plugs of begonia, celosia (Celosia argentea L. var. cristata (L.) Kuntze Plumosa Group), marigold, petunia, and vinca were grown with three fertilizer rates of 50, 150, and 250 mg·L-1 N. Shoots were harvested 30 days after planting and the solution was extracted from each flat using the three methods. For both experiments, PE EC was equal to or higher than the SME EC, and the pH was equal to or lower than the SME pH. The pH from the 1:2 was also similar to the PE. However, 1:2 EC results were consistently the lowest because of the dilution inherent in the 1:2 method. Interpretation ranges for pH and EC relationships were calculated to compare results from the PE with published sufficiency ranges for the SME and 1:2.

Strawberry Plant Growth Parameters and Yield among Transplants of Different Types and from Different Geographic Sources, Grown in a Plasticulture System

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) `Chandler' plants from three sources were grown in the annual hill plasticulture system during two growing seasons (1996-97 and 1997-98). These trials evaluated the yield and vegetative performance of bareroot plants from Prince Edward Island and Ontario, Canada, and plug plant tips that were rooted in North Carolina but obtained from Ontario Canada. At the end of the season, total and marketable yields and fruit weight were not different among the plant sources. In addition, plants from all three plant sources produced equivalent yields on a weekly basis. Monthly whole plant harvests revealed that plant source did not affect leaf area, root, crown, leaf, flower or fruit dry weight during most of the growing season. In addition, plant growth parameters (specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, leaf weight ratio, and root to shoot ratio) in general did not differ among plant source in any 1 month. Plant growth did show shifts in dry weight allocation and leaf area as the season progressed that were uniform among plant sources, with the majority of the growth occurring in the spring in the two months prior to harvest. This uniformity among plant sources will allow future research to emphasize plant production practices that may reduce the risk of pest and disease problems or optimize production practices favored by growers.

Transplant Source Affects Fruiting Performance and Pests of `Sweet Charlie' Strawberry in Florida

The use of locally grown transplants in Florida strawberry (Fragari×ananassa Duchesne) production has increased since the release of the cultivar Sweet Charlie by the University of Florida in 1992. Previous research has shown that nursery region can influence production patterns of other strawberry cultivars through differences in photoperiod and temperature exposure. Transplants of `Sweet Charlie' strawberry (bareroot and plug plants) from sources representing northern (Canada, Massachusetts, Oregon), southern (Alabama, Florida) and mid latitude (North Carolina) transplant production regions were compared for plant vigor, production, and pest incidence at Dover, Fla. in 1995-96 and 1996-97. Total fruit production was not significantly different forplants among the plant source regions in 1995-96, but total yield from southern source plants in 1996-97 was significantly lower than northern and mid latitude plant sources. Monthly production of marketable fruits varied among the three plant source regions in December, January, and February, during which time market prices fell 46% in 1995-96 and 56% in 1996-97. Plants from northern and mid latitude sources produced significantly greater fruit yield in December than plants from southern sources. Differences among plant sources were detected for early flowering, initial crown size, incidence of foliar disease, arthropod pests, mortality, and fruit weight. Geographic location of strawberry transplant sources influenced fruiting patterns and other components that may affect profitability of `Sweet Charlie' strawberry production in west central Florida.

Evaluation of methods of screening strawberry cultivars for resistance to crown rot caused by Phytophthora cactorum

SummaryFour methods were evaluated in measuring resistance of strawberry cultivars to crown rot caused by Phytophthora cactorum. Meristem propagated plants grown in vitro were inoculated with mycelial discs. Four to five days after inoculation, it was possible to distinguish between cultivars with large differences in susceptibility to the disease. Ten days later, all plants were totally necrotic making it impossible to distinguish between cultivars. When detached leaves were inoculated by inoculating a plug of mycelium into the petiole, disease symptoms developed more slowly in resistant cultivars, but leaf age greatly affected the rate of symptom development. When plug plants (not cold stored) were lightly wounded in the rhizome with a scalpel and inoculated with either zoospores or mycelium, differences in disease development between cultivars were mainly as would be expected from previous information on susceptibility, but both age and size of plants influenced the rate of disease development. Unwounded, inoculated plants did not develop symptoms. When cold‐stored plug plants were either unwounded or lightly wounded with a scalpel in the rhizome and inoculated with zoospores, the relative rates of disease development consistently reflected the susceptibility to crown rot. At the time of final assessment, disease was much more severe in wounded plants, but the relative susceptibility of cultivars was not affected by the wounding.

563 Development of the Press Extraction Method for Plug Substrate Analysis: Quantitative Relationships Between Solution Extraction Techniques

Methods for extracting growing substrate root-zone solution include the saturated media extract (SME) and the 2 water: 1 substrate (v/v) suspension, neither of which are particularly suited to bedding plant plug systems. We have developed the press extraction method (PEM) as a simple and quick alternative to these methods. The grower simply collects a representative sample of plug trays and presses the top of the plug, collecting the expelled solution. Solution pH and EC can be measured immediately and the sample then sent to an analytical laboratory for nutrient analysis. Initial experiments demonstrated that differing manual pressures did not affect solution chemical properties. The PEM then was compared to the SME and 2:1 methods over a range of fertilizer levels and with peat- and coir-based substrates. Within substrates, pH, EC, and macronutrients were similar between the PEM and the SME. The level of dilution inherent in the 2:1 method resulted in much lower EC and nutrient levels when compared to the other two methods. Further experiments compared the PEM to the SME and 2:1 on plug flats collected from several commercial greenhouses and also those grown in the research greenhouse. The wide range of bedding plant species and fertility levels tested introduced variation needed to develop regression equations and correlations to create quantitative interpretation ranges for the PEM based on previously published sufficiency ranges for the SME and 2:1.

Effect of Runner Plantlet Size on Performance of Strawberry Plug Plants

Abstract Size of plantlets used in propagation of strawberry plug plants did not affect yield or berry size. Daughter plants containing one to three compound leaves may be used in propagation. Plant size in this study was determined by petiole length to provide a simple grading method with easy application to the industry. Although no significant differences were identified among the three size classes evaluated in this “length based” study, plantlet size might affect eventual yields if sizes were determined by fresh weight or leaf area. Future studies in this area are warranted. Transplant survival should also be considered in future studies to determine whether particular sizes offer an advantage of lower mortality in the greenhouse, or if field survival is different among plants which differ in size at the initiation of propagation.

The Importance of Transplant Size and Gap Width in the Botanical Enrichment of Species‐Poor Grasslands in Britain

AbstractA series of five grasslands of differing agricultural productivity and species diversity was chosen for this study. Four of these areas were divided into three sub‐plots, each under a different management regime (either mown, sheep, or cattle grazed). Each sub‐plot was inoculated with 180 transplants comprised of 12 individuals of 15 perennial species. These species were chosen to provide a spectrum of ‘phytometers’ to evaluate the receptivity of the grasslands to species introduction. Half of the plants were 9‐cm pot‐grown transplants, the other half, 2‐cm plug plants. One‐third of each of the transplant sizes was inserted into either 0‐cm, 15‐cm, or 30‐cm‐diameter gaps. Evaluation of species enrichment success was made by monitoring the survivorship of the transplants over a three‐year study period. The fifth grassland was already species‐rich and, therefore, left untreated and used as a reference community. The species could be classified into three main groups on the basis of their survivorship: (a) species with higher survivorship for pot than plug transplants; (b) species that established significantly better as plug than as pot transplants; and (c) species that suffered equally high mortalities as either pot or plug transplants. For three out of the four grasslands, the size of competition‐free gaps was not significant in enhancing survivorship for either pot or plug transplants. Gap creation only aided survivorship for the set of plug plants inserted into the most productive grassland. Transplant survival was strongly negatively correlated with soil P and K concentrations, and peak biomass. In this, the establishment phase, the three management treatment regimes did not have a significant differential effect on transplant survival. The results are discussed in relation to practical techniques for restoring species‐poor grasslands using transplants.

Winter Greenhouse Strawberry Production Using Conditioned Plug Plants

Two- to three-week-old `Sweet Charlie' strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) plug plants were conditioned [seven 9-hour short days without chilling (21 °C day/21 °C night) followed by seven 9-hour short days with chilling during the nyctoperiod (21 °C/12 °C night)] in September, then planted in a vertical hydroponic system for winter greenhouse production. Conditioned plugs produced significantly more fruit than did nonconditioned control plugs in January and February, but the difference was nonsignificant in March and April. Fruit yield increased linearly with height in the column (≈40 g/plant for every 30-cm increase in column height), probably because of increasing light level. When productivity is considered on an area basis (kg·m–2) and the column height effect on yield is accounted for, productivity over a 4.5-month period was 4.8 kg·m–2 for controls and 7.8 kg·m–2 for conditioned plugs. Conditioned plug plants offer the potential for increasing strawberry productivity and therefore the profitability of a winter greenhouse production system.

Enhancement of botanical diversity of permanent grassland and impact on hay production in Environmentally Sensitive Areas in the UK

Five methods for increasing the botanical diversity of permanent grassland, either by sowing site‐specific species‐rich grass/forb seed mixtures (strip‐seeding; or over‐sowing after sward disturbance by light harrowing, partial rotary cultivation or turf removal), or by introducing transplanted plug plants, were compared with a control treatment in replicated field experiments on six farm sites in Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) in England and Wales. Effects on herbage production under hay cutting in July and on botanical composition were recorded in the two subsequent years. Turf removal before sowing was the only treatment that significantly reduced herbage production; this treatment also had the greatest effect on increasing botanical diversity (to a mean of twenty‐eight plant species per site compared with fifteen species for the control 2 years after sowing). The least successful establishment of sown species resulted from light harrowing before sowing; the rotary‐cultivated and strip‐seeded treatments increased species diversity, although by less than turf removal. Successful establishment of introduced species was greatest on sites having a low soil nutrient status. Species that established successfully from seed on most sites and treatments included the grasses Alopecurus pratensis, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra and Phleum pratense, and the forbs Achillea millefolium, Leucanthemum vulgare, Plantago lanceolata and Prunella vulgaris; in addition, Centaurea nigra, Hypochoeris radicata and Lotus corniculatus were also established by one or more methods on most sites. Lychnis flos‐cuculi established successfully on mesotrophic sites, and Medicago lupulina on calcareous sites. Several species failed to establish at all or most sites where they were sown, e.g. Helianthemum nummularium, Pimpinella saxifraga and Rhinanthus minor. Most transplanted plug‐plant species established successfully in the short term, but many failed to persist or their frequency in the sward remained low; exceptions included A. millefolium and P. lanceolata. The results are discussed in relation to the requirements for management to further the objectives of ESAs and agri‐environmental schemes.