SPECIES Bromus carinatus
Common name and alpha code mountain brome; California brome 216 BRCA5 (also called B. marginatus in some refs., e.g. #134, 155, and B. polyanthus, according to Karl Urban; see #157, pp.187 - 189)
General Information Short-lived perennial 134, 160 ; Annual or mostly biennial 97; cool-season native bunchgrass ; short-lived species with good seedling vigor. Bromus genus rated easy in ease of use and cost of propagation for restoration 27

Occurs on warm, dry forested communities at low to mid elevations in the mountains, and with subalpine big sagebrush at mid to high elevations. 160

TABLE: SEED
Seeds/Lb.

 

Avg. 81,500 (range 78,000 to 82,000) 138; 35,000 to 85,000 54

90,000 34, 155; 71,000 124; 1.7 seed/sq. ft/Lb. 134

In ref. #33: 70,000/lb (Vallentine, 1971); 60,475/lb (Plummer et al., 1968); 70,000/lb (Wheeler & Hill, 1957); 71,000/lb (Stefferud, 1948)

Germ % Variable: 31% to 63% 138

In ref. #33: 85% (Stefferud, 1948); 90% (Hull & Pearse, 1943a)

Germ Test Amt  
Germ Test Cost  
Purity %  
Purity Test Amt  
Purity Test Cost  
Germination Pretreatment Requirement

 

None 97, 120, 183

In ref. #33: LABORATORY GERMINATION:

TEMPERATURE: Fluctuating; 20-30°C at 16-8 hours (AOSA, 1978; USDA, 1952)

LIGHT: Light required (AOSA, 1978; USDA, 1952)

Seed Processing Needed e.g. awns  
Storage Requirements Cool, dry 138
Storage Length (Years) In ref. #33: 3 years (Hafenrichter et al.; 1968) 4 years (Hull & Pearse, 1943a); >58 months (McAlister, 1943)
Maturity Date In ref. #33: June to early July at low elev., July to August higher. 97

Aug 1-Sep 15 (Plummer et al. 1968); Mid summer (Hoover et al., 1948)

Pollinators Seed Dispersal Mechanism  
Breeding: self; Cross; Asexual Reproduction  
Disease Problems Smut: select clean seed in field 138 Use fungicidal seed treatment 209

In ref. #33: Field: Treat seed with fungicide before planting because of susceptibility to head smut (Hafenrichter et al., 1968)

Insect Predation  
Hand Collection Methods, Problems, and Cost/Lb. Can be hand stripped. 97

Contract 1997: $42/lb 128

TABLE: SEED INCREASE INFO
Sow Rate for Seed Increase Plantation, for Seed Increase Plantation,

Lb./Acre

10 to 20 124; 12 2 ; 17.0 54
1st Year Yield, Lb./acre 20 to 324 54; 800 (seed rough cleaned) 215
2nd Year Yield, Lb./acre 1,145 54; 700 (seed rough cleaned) 215
3rd Year Yield, Lb./acre 308 to 559 (seed rough cleaned) 96; 400 (seed rough cleaned) 215
4th Year Yield, Lb./acre 334 (seed rough cleaned) 96
Field Life Span: Years Original crop dies after 2 years, but successful volunteer crop can be grown in place, in years 3 and 4. May be more cost-effective to start over after 2 years. 91
Production Cost/Lb.  
Field Distance Requirements  
Sow Date  
Miscellaneous

Increase Info.

 
TABLE: HABITAT
Plan tAssociation Groups  
Drought Tolerance Moderate 134; Fair 23
Soil: Texture, Chemicals Loam to loamy gravel 75; silty and clayey 155 Tolerant of some salinity 134 Not for coarse soils; marginal on moderately coarse and fine soils, and on basic soils 34 In ref. #33: Adapted to loamy, clayey (Heady, 1975) Silty-good, clayey-good, sandy-poor (Vallentine, 1971), Grows best in loam soils but will grow in clay and sandy loams (Bridges, 1942; Stewart & Walker, 1939)
Soil Depth Not for shallow soils 155 Moderately deep to deep loam; best on fertile moist sites but often does well on infertile, coarse, dry soils also. 134 Relatively moist sites including thin, infertile sites 34
Ave. Precip. Needs 16 to 24 in. 75; 18 in. or more 155
Flooding or High Water Tolerance Intolerant 134, 34
Soil Stabilization

 

Can be used to stabilize road cuts and fills or mined lands where rapidly developing seedlings are needed . 155 Established quickly and easily on disturbed sites 34 Root system is deep, fibrous, and spreading. 23
Palatability and Attractiveness to Animals; Response to Grazing Decreaser, forage value good to livestock and wildlife 75 when green 134 Palatable throughout its life cycle 159 Indicates overgrazing and soil disturbance by forming large stands. Pocket gophers use it preferentially. 160
Elevation Range Middle to high elevations 134
Competitiveness  
Plasticity  
Root System: Rhizomes, Stolons, etc. Roots fibrous 75 ; well-branched and deeply penetrating 124
Shade tolerance Good 134, 34; Low 23
TABLE: CONSERVATION SOWING ON N.F. SITES
WCF Cost/Lb. (1997) $177 73
Sow Rate for.  Sowing on National Forest Sites, Lb./Acre 10 Lb./acre (mechanical drilling) 134 10 Lb./acre 34
Sowing Method and Date Late spring 34

In ref. #33: Apr & May (Archer & Bunch, 1953); In spring before May 10 (Wheeler, 1950)

Miscellaneous

 

Grows principally during the summer months 164

In ref. #33: Grows best in fairly moist but will grow in moderately dry (Bridges, 1942; Stewart & Walker, 1939)

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