TY - JOUR
T1 - Review of seed pelletizing strategies for arid land restoration
AU - Gornish, Elise
AU - Arnold, Hannah
AU - Fehmi, Jeffrey
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service (task agreement number P18AC00920) and the Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Society for Ecological Restoration
PY - 2019/11/1
Y1 - 2019/11/1
N2 - Arid lands face numerous restoration challenges due to infrequent and irregular precipitation which impacts plant germination, growth, and survival. Abundant seed predators, harsh surface conditions, and native seeds often poorly suited to mechanical distribution compound restoration challenges. Seed pellets (a.k.a. pods, seed balls, and seed bombs), an aggregation of clay, soil, water, and multiple seeds, have the potential to reduce some of the challenges. However, no formal guidelines based on an aggregated research review exist. Available publications, both peer-reviewed and any public domain, were reviewed. Of the 24 publications found (some describing multiple tests), seed pellets tested on rangelands had 9 negative effects, 10 neutral effects, and 8 positive effects. Greenhouse testing showed five negative effects, two neutral effects, and four positive effects. Forest systems had three neutral effects and two positive effects. Advantages in mechanical distribution were not well quantified and other effects were lumped together in germination and seedling establishment totals. The use of pelleted seed would benefit from a more mechanistic understanding of the interaction between the pellets and the systemic constraints. As long as the pellets themselves do not greatly reduce germination or establishment, they appear a potentially viable method for improving seed distribution and seeding efficiency, protecting seeds, and adding amendments. While the evidence is far from conclusive, seed pellets may also hold some advantages in increasing germination and establishment.
AB - Arid lands face numerous restoration challenges due to infrequent and irregular precipitation which impacts plant germination, growth, and survival. Abundant seed predators, harsh surface conditions, and native seeds often poorly suited to mechanical distribution compound restoration challenges. Seed pellets (a.k.a. pods, seed balls, and seed bombs), an aggregation of clay, soil, water, and multiple seeds, have the potential to reduce some of the challenges. However, no formal guidelines based on an aggregated research review exist. Available publications, both peer-reviewed and any public domain, were reviewed. Of the 24 publications found (some describing multiple tests), seed pellets tested on rangelands had 9 negative effects, 10 neutral effects, and 8 positive effects. Greenhouse testing showed five negative effects, two neutral effects, and four positive effects. Forest systems had three neutral effects and two positive effects. Advantages in mechanical distribution were not well quantified and other effects were lumped together in germination and seedling establishment totals. The use of pelleted seed would benefit from a more mechanistic understanding of the interaction between the pellets and the systemic constraints. As long as the pellets themselves do not greatly reduce germination or establishment, they appear a potentially viable method for improving seed distribution and seeding efficiency, protecting seeds, and adding amendments. While the evidence is far from conclusive, seed pellets may also hold some advantages in increasing germination and establishment.
KW - drylands
KW - management
KW - revegetation
KW - seed ball
KW - seed pellet
KW - seeding
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U2 - 10.1111/rec.13045
DO - 10.1111/rec.13045
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85074916096
VL - 27
SP - 1206
EP - 1211
JO - Restoration Ecology
JF - Restoration Ecology
SN - 1061-2971
IS - 6
ER -