III. DETERMINING SEED APPLICATION RATE AND PLANT SPACING 



1. Seeding . 



The recommended application rate for seed is given by: 



Seed application rate = Ra x Qs 



where Ra is a base application rate of 2 gallons per acre (19 liters 

 per hectare) of seeds for California cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) or 

 1 gallon per acre (9.5 liters per hectare) of seeds for smooth cordgrass 

 [S. altern-iflora) , and Qs is the seed quality index for the seed source. 

 Qs is approximated by collecting and examining seed before harvest. 

 The total number of spikelets examined divided by the number of full 

 spikelets (Fig. 3) is the Qs. 



Figure 3. Full spikelet. 



Threshing will reduce the volume of harvested material by about 50 

 percent. Therefore, the volume which must be harvested in anticipation 

 of planting is : 



Harvest volume = 2 (Ra x Qs) x A 



where A is the area to be planted in acres. 



2. Sprigs, Plugs, and Seedlings . 



The Table summarizes recommended plant spacing for marsh development 

 projects (plant cover in three growing seasons) and for bank stabiliza- 

 tion projects (cover in one to two seasons). 



