[SOS-PCA] SOS April Notes, next call May 7th

[Prescott, Leah]

Hi all,

The next SOS Collectors call is *Tuesday, May 7th*. These monthly calls are
required for all seed collecting teams. Let me know if you need the call in
information.

*Please submit your target species list if you have not already, these are
due Tuesday April 30th. We have a new template on the website, BLM.gov/SOS
<http://BLM.gov/SOS>*

Draft Agenda:

Roll call
General collection rules
Taking Quality Photos
Round Robin/Updates - please come prepared with season start dates, end
dates, estimated number of collections, and number of seed collectors and
institution

If you do not have a 2019 portal log in please contact me.

Just as a reminder, the calls take place at:

8 AM Alaska
9 AM Pacific
10 AM Mountain
11 AM Central
Noon Eastern

Below please find the notes from April 2nd call, and thank you to our guest
speaker, Erika Gardner, from the Smithsonian and to everyone for calling in:



·         General collection rules:

o   The SOS Seed Collection Reference number is a binomial of your office
code, separated by a hyphen, followed by the sequential collection number.
For example: WY050-46, AZ930-124, etc. If you have any questions as to what
your office code is or what your first seed collection reference number
should be for this year, please e-mail Leah (*lprescott at blm.gov
<lprescott at blm.gov>*).

o   Collections should be from wild populations of native species – so be
aware of past seeding efforts in your area.

o   Sample from at least 50 individuals and document the number of plants
sampled on the data form

o   Collect no more than 20% of available seed on a given day.

o   Seed collected on multiple dates throughout the same growing season
should be recorded as the same accession.

o   All BLM teams will send their seed to the Bend Seed Extractory for
cleaning.

o   Collection break down: 10,000 seeds will be taken from each collection
and sent to the USDA ARS in Pullman, WA for long-term storage and a small
research working collection.

§  2/3 of the 10,000 will go into long-term storage with ARS and the
remaining 1/3 will be available to researchers as a small working
collection through the ARS Germplasm Resource Information Network,
generally in small amounts (1-200 seeds). Smaller collections (less than
10,000 seed) may be sent entirely to ARS and no seed will be available for
research and development.

o   Any seed collected beyond the 10,000 needed for long-term storage and
the small working collection will be available for native plant materials
development projects such as common garden studies, grow outs, etc. Be sure
you plan accordingly and communicate your collection goals with your
interns.

·         Site assessments

o   Site assessments are really important to help meet your collection
goals.

o   Do the math!: # plants in your population * avg. seeds per fruit * avg.
fruits per plant * 20% = estimated seeds available for harvest in the
population

·         Reminders when collecting seed

o   Sample evenly and randomly, from tall plants and short plants, etc.

o   Collect on multiple days, if possible.

o   Be cautious when noxious weeds are present at your collection site.
Bend cannot process collections with noxious weeds. We lost quite a few
collections last year that were contaminated

·         Bend

o   Seed lots should not contain excessive stem material. *Aristida* species
can only be accepted if it is hand stripped from the stem in the field; due
to the fragile seed we cannot process it with any stem material.

o   Seed lots should be exposed to No Pest Strip for at least 48-hrs before
shipment to BSE. This is to reduce our exposure to insect bites as well as
seed loss to predation. Seed can be quarantined in a closed Rubbermaid
container with the strips in the bottom of the container and the paper
collection bags open.

o   Seed lots should be well packaged in breathable bags (ie. paper, cloth,
mesh, woven). Seed that has escaped in delivery may or may not be able to
be salvaged by BSE. Paper bags are most ideal for any seed, as we are able
to rip the bags open to capture all of the material.

o   All non-fleshy fruit material should be dry prior to shipment.

o   Fleshy fruits should be packaged in ziplock bags (double bagged is
preferred) and delivered with ice packs to keep the fruit cool in
transport. Please do not send any berry-like fruit dry, unless you have
*completely* removed the flesh. It is especially important with Yucca
species, to be shipped fresh, as to reduce bug damage to the seed and in
turn processing damage.

o   Please label all bags with lot number and NRCS Plants Database code.
Also, please label the bags with bag numbers (1 of 5, 2 of 5, etc.).

o   Please do not ship a lot in separate shipments. Please hold the seed
lot until you have all of it and ship it at one time all together. If you
need to ship the lot in separate shipments, please notify us by email or
phone and put a note in the box that tells us more is coming.

o   Please label boxes, if possible, so that we know they are coming from
your unit. Boxes should be well packed so that bags do not shift during the
shipping process.

o   Alternatively, boxes also should not be packed so full that the bags
rip/explode during the shipping process. It is difficult to pull bags out
when they are crammed tightly into a small box.

o   Seed lots should arrive with paperwork that is double checked for the
correct lot number, genus, species, and NRCS Plants Database code. Please
send a note with your shipment that has contact information.

o   Please notify BSE when you would like to deliver seed in person.

o   Please send clearance forms to Leah.

·         Herbarium Vouchers are to be sent to the Smithsonian U.S.
National Herbarium, a regional herbarium and local herbarium (collecting
office). There are basic voucher preparation techniques available on the
SOS website. Please be sure you collect a full specimen – root, shoot and
flower for forbs and grasses. For species that will not be in flower at
time of seed collection, take a voucher specimen during a preliminary trip
to the population. If submitting vouchers collected on different days (one
in flower, one in fruit) each specimen needs its own label and associated
collection number.  Specimens collected on the same day will be the same
herbarium specimen with one label. When shipping specimens to the
Smithsonian you can fit 25 – 50 specimens in one bundle between cardboards.
Do NOT staple labels to sheets or send herbarium paper with your specimens
– just the pressed plants with its label not mounted.



o   Collecting Vouchers

§  Great specimens have roots, shoots/stems, and reproductive parts
(ideally flowers and fruits). Be sure that the characteristics needed to ID
the plant are shown in the specimen.

§  Collect a large enough sample (or multiple samples) to fill a herbarium
sheet (11” X 17”)

§  Do not collect more than what can fit on a single sheet UNLESS you know
how to create multiple sheets.

§  Large specimens can be bent to fit on one sheet using the accordion
technique.

§  If collecting a bulky specimen to accompany a pressed sheet, both
materials require a label.

o   Labels & Shipping

§  All specimens should have labels that are printed on acid-free paper. DO
NOT tape, staple, etc. your label to newsprint.

§  Follow SOS guide online (pp 3-5). Try to find a box that fits your
specimens snugly. 18x12x13 is standard. Pad specimens with newspaper to
keep specimens from getting crushed.

§  Always include a transmittal notice AND contact information for a
permanent staff member in case any questions arise.

§  If sending NON-SOS specimens, include a separate deed of gift.

§  If shipping USPS, use PO Box address.

Please let me know if there are any topics you would like to see covered in
this season's monthly calls and feel free to reach out with any questions.

Thanks all, talk to you soon!

Leah

-- 
Leah Prescott
Seeds of Success
National Collection Curator (Contractor)
202-912-7232

Seeds of Success
<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/native-plant-and-seed-material-development/collection>
National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration
<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy>
Plant Conservation Alliance <http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/>
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