Additional Evaluation of Cultivation Protocols for Use in Outplanting and Recovery Efforts for Applegates Milkvetch | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity, titled "Additional Evaluation of Cultivation Protocols for Use in Outplanting and Recovery Efforts for Applegates Milkvetch," is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary funding program offered through a cooperative agreement. It focuses on practical, field-tested conservation work for Applegate's milkvetch (Astragalus applegatei), one of the most imperiled plant species in Oregon. The species now persists at only a handful of sites clustered in and around Klamath Falls, Oregon, and most of those remaining occurrences appear to be shrinking because the habitat has been degraded, fragmented, or otherwise altered. Because the natural populations are so limited and vulnerable, the central idea behind the project is to strengthen the species' prospects by producing healthy plants in cultivation and then using those greenhouse-grown individuals to establish new populations or bolster existing ones within the plant's natural range.

The opportunity is grounded in lessons learned from earlier recovery efforts. Previous work has already clarified several foundational steps, including effective methods for seed collection and germination and the basic soil biology the species seems to need in cultivation, particularly the role of native mycorrhizal fungi and potentially beneficial soil bacteria. Prior studies also explored how to identify suitable outplanting locations and how to transplant cultivated individuals into the field. Even with that progress, real-world attempts have had serious setbacks. In the 1990s, many outplanted individuals died after transplanting, and more recently, greenhouse efforts lost plants to fungal disease. Those failures shaped the main purpose of this grant: refine and re-test cultivation and outplanting protocols in a way that directly addresses the causes of mortality and improves survival when plants are eventually moved into the wild.

A major emphasis of the proposed work is the collection and use of seeds and soil inoculants to produce stronger, more resilient plants. The project plans to collect additional seed during 2008, in consultation with the USFWS, concentrating on the two largest known and recently discovered sites. Collected seed would be tested for viability and germination potential, then used to start a new round of greenhouse plants. The cultivation approach would intentionally incorporate soils inoculated with native mycorrhizae to better replicate the plant's natural underground partnerships, which are often critical for nutrient uptake and overall vigor in many Astragalus species. Another practical change is greenhouse disease prevention: the work calls for a lowered humidity regime specifically to reduce fungal outbreaks that previously killed plants during cultivation.

The project also responds to an important finding from past outplanting attempts: younger plants tended to die at much higher rates after transplanting, even when they looked large enough and were already reproductive. Earlier projects commonly used first-year plants that were around 6 to 8 months old, and although these plants could reach roughly 1 to 2 decimeters across, survival was still poor. Based on discussions with USFWS and project partners, the preferred strategy is now to keep plants in cultivation for at least two years before outplanting. The rationale is straightforward and biological: older plants should develop better root-to-shoot ratios, build larger reserves, and establish stronger mycorrhizal associations, all of which can reduce transplant shock and improve the odds that a plant can handle drought, temperature swings, and other stressors once it is placed in the field.

In terms of recovery planning, the project is explicitly tied to the federal Recovery Plan for Astragalus applegatei. It supports Recovery Plan priorities that call for improving knowledge of cultivation and outplanting techniques (identified as Task 3.2) and for establishing wild population reserves (Task 1.54). The practical deliverable is not just academic information, but a usable stock of containerized plants maintained for future outplanting at one or more appropriate sites in the Klamath Basin, selected in consultation with USFWS. Creating experimental or reserve populations through outplanting is described as vital to the species' recovery, but also acknowledged as difficult for this taxon, which is why the grant emphasizes incremental refinement and careful cultivation rather than quick planting.

The timeline provided shows a structured, seasonally appropriate workflow for 2008. Spring and summer 2008 are set aside for initial consultations and coordination. Early summer through fall 2008 focuses on field assessments and the collection of seed and soil inoculants. From June through December 2008, the work shifts heavily to greenhouse activities such as seed scarification and germination, potting seedlings, and ongoing general cultivation under improved disease-management conditions. The project culminates in a written summary report submitted to USFWS by December 31, 2008, indicating that the grant expects both hands-on conservation outputs and clear documentation of methods, results, and observations that can guide subsequent recovery actions.

Administratively, the opportunity was posted April 30, 2008, with an application closing date of May 14, 2008, and it was later archived June 13, 2008. It carried no cost-sharing or matching requirement, and eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to different entity types unless otherwise clarified in the full announcement. The funding activity categories included agriculture, environment, and natural resources, reflecting that the project is both ecological restoration and applied propagation work. The listed contact for access issues or administrative questions was Joni Drinkwater, Administrative Officer, at 541-885-8481 or jonidrinkwater@fws.gov.

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