The first introductions of crested wheatgrass [Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn., A. desertorum (Fisch.) Schult., and related taxa] to North America were made by N. E. Hansen in 1898. Additional introduction, intensive early testing and distribution took place primarily in the northern Great Plains of United States and Canada by individuals who recognized the potential of crested wheatgrass for use in this arid and semi -arid climate. The drought years of the 1930's prompted widespread use of this new grass. Government programs in the United States and Canada provided impetus to seeding large acreages to stabilize the land and the economy. Much of these seeded lands remain productive today. Crested wheatgrass has been and will probably continue to be one of the most important forage grasses for the northern Great Plains of the United States and of the Prairie Provinces of Canada.
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