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Description:
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To determine the feasibility of introducing nutritious browse and forb species into the northcentral Rolling Plains and improve the available forage base for deer (Qdocoileus spp . ) , 7 browse species , Atriplex canescens (Atca ) , Ceratoides lanata (Cela ) , Cercocarpus montanus (Cemo ) , Eysenhardtia texana (Eyte ) , 'Lassen' Purshia tridentata (L .Putr ) , Leucaena retusa (Lere ) , and Purshia tridentata (Putr ) , and 7 forb species , Desmanthus illinoensis (Deil ) , Engelmannia pinnatifida (Enpi ) , Medicago sativa (Mesa ) , Onobrychis vJcJifQlia (Onvi ) , Simsia calva (Sica ) , 'Howard' Trifolium subterraneum (H .Trsu ) , and 'Nungarin' X . subterraneum (N .Trsu ) , were seeded and transplanted , and seeded , respectively , on 4 study plots on a private 7 ,300 -ha ranch in Foard County , Texas . Winter -forage browse and cool -season forb species were seeded 19 - 20 September and 13 - 15 October 1986 on 4 plots , and summer -forage browse and warm -season forb species were seeded 16 - 17 May 1987 on 2 plots . Browse seedlings were propagated in a greenhouse for 3 months , hardened in a lathhouse for 1 month , then transplanted to 2 plots 8 April 1987 . Browse species' field establishment ( % ) , greenhouse survival ( % ) , and transplant survival ( % ) were determined from Jun - Nov 1987 , Jan - Mar 1987 , and Nov 1986 - Jan 1988 (evaluation -months ) , respectively . Lere leaf biomass (g /m ) and crude protein (CP ) was determined in October 1987 . Forb species' biomass (g /m ) and CP were determined from Dec 1986 - Nov 1987 (evaluation -months ) . |