Pericarp removal has little effect on sagebrush seeds

Abstract

Sagebrush (Artemisia) is commonly recommended for reclamation and restoration of shrublands of the Western United States and seeds are usually obtained from commercial sources. One result of commercial seed processing is the removal of the pericarp. We tested 2 seedlots of Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle &Young) to determine if pericarp removal affected properties of seed hydration or seed germ inability under different levels of water stress. In general, pericarp removal had a relatively minor effect on these processes and properties.