Mandan wild-rye (Elymus canadensis) is an improved variety of Canada wild-rye. It was developed at the Northern Great Plains Field Station by mass selection from plants grown from seed collected on upland near Mandan, N: Dak. Several vital characters make it superior to ordinary Canada wild-rye. It is longer-lived than many strains and will withstand grazing for several years. It is leafier, finer, and the softer-textured leaves are shorter. It has more resistance to rust than other strains that have been tested. It is easy to establish, grows rapidly, and yields well in seed and forage. It can be used to good advantage in mixtures with other grasses that are slower in becoming established. It seems to prefer sandy soils, but it also makes good growth on other soil types. Seed of Mandan wild-rye germinates more slowly than that of crested wheatgrass. It often sprouts a week later than crested wheat-grass. Establishment is relatively rapid, but it may take a year before weeds are crowded out.

Feather bunchgrass (Stria viridula) has given way to green stipagrass, an improved variety that was developed at the Northern Great Plains Field Station from a single plant selection which originated from a bulk seed lot collected near Mandan. We think it is superior to ordinary feather bunchgrass in vigor and size. It excels in yields of forage and seed. In fact, it is one of the highest yielding of the cool-season grasses that have been tested at Mandan since 1942. After defoliation, it makes rapid regrowth and is useful in mixtures for pasture seedings. It is easily established in areas where weed competition is not too great. Hay cut at approximately the time the plants are in full head is nutritious and palatable. It seems to grow well on most soil types and probably can be grown successfully over most of the Northern Great Plains. Green stipagrass begins growth about a week later in the spring than crested wheat-grass. The seed ripens earlier than most species and reaches maturity about 3 weeks ahead of crested wheatgrass. It is of low germination when the seed is new, but if the seed is held in dry storage for 3 years, germination should be satisfactory.

Unfortunately, farmers and commercial seedsmen have not given enough consideration to the production of grass seed, which all too often has been limited to small localities in a few States or has been only a sideline crop, the seed being harvested from old pastures or natural stands.

The value of the 1944 crop of seed, based on the 1930-39 wholesale prices, was estimated to be approximately $20,000,000. Even though the figure is an estimate, it shows that grass seed as a crop is a sizeable business. The bulk of this represents common seed and does not include improved strains. Facilities for production of foundation seed of improved strains are lacking.

Improvement of grasses can be a success only if these new strains reach the farmer in quantity and quality to meet his needs. The plant breeder must cooperate with him and the seed producer to make this possible. The responsibility of testing new strains for regional adaptation and best uses lies with the plant breeder. He must also be certain that the foundation seed is true to type and will maintain the superior qualities of the new strain. Certified seed should be so grown and isolated as to maintain genetic purity. The consumer must know which strain is best adapted to his particular climatic conditions and requirements. The seed producer must grow those seeds in a manner that will assure the consumer of getting the strain and grade he demands. And, finally, the distributor must handle the seed in cleaning, processing, and bagging so as to keep the strains from becoming mixed.

THE AUTHOR

M. A. Hein, an agronomist in the Division of Forage Crops and Diseases, in the Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering, joined the Department of Agriculture in 1928, the year he received the degree of master of science in agronomy from the University of Illinois. He is currently engaged in experimental work with native and introduced grasses for hay, pasture, and silage, adaptation studies, breeding for improvement, cultural practices, and other factors relating to grass.