With future environmental conditions predicted to change to higher temperatures and drier environment combined with data indicating these trends may already beginning to occur the question of which will be adapted needs to be asked. In this experiment, two dryland legumes [Cicer milkvetch (Astragulus cicer L.) and Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.)] were selected to compare their ability to germinate under increased temperature and lower water availability conditions. The experiment considered two-factors: germination water availability and germination temperature. Germination water potentials had osmotic potentials of 0,-0.5,-1.0 MPa, respectively. They were achieved using Polyethylene glycol dissolved in distilled water to make the desired solution, distilled water was used as the control; Germination temperatures were eight values ranging from 15℃ to 35℃ in 5℃ increments. Warmer temperatures, exceeding 25â°C, decreased germinations as did lower water potentials. Purple prairie clover had a greater number of germinants than cicer milkvetch at the higher temperatures and greater water potentials suggesting better adaptation to the predicted future growing environment.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.