CONTENTS 



Page 



INTRODUCTION 1 



EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE 2 



RESULTS 3 



Chromatograms 3 



Grazing 6 



DISCUSSION 8 



LITERATURE CITED 9 



ABSTRACT 



Two-dimensional phenolic extraction on 9-inch squares of chromatographic 

 paper was discovered to be a simple laboratory technique for quickly classifying 

 more than 100 foliage collections of big sagebrush from over the Intermountain 

 area into two major palatability classes. These agreed readily with field obser- 

 vations of preferences by deer and livestock on winter ranges. The technique 

 was also in close agreement with the observed preferences by deer of 10 geo- 

 graphic sources transplanted to a common area having a uniform soil within their 

 winter range. It was also useful for quickly recognizing four subgroups in sub- 

 species of Artemisia tridentata vaseyana and two subgroups in Artemisia 

 tridentata trident at a. 



The solvent system for the first dimension was n-butanol, acetone, water 

 (4:1:3) and for the second dimension acetic acid and water (15:85). Chromato- 

 grams were viewed under longwave ultraviolet light before and after exposure to 

 ammonia fumes and in daylight following the application of ammonia. The strong 

 association that was found between chromatographic variation and palatability 

 suggests that the procedure may be used to predetermine the grazing potential of 

 any collection of big sagebrush. 



The most obvious chromatographic characteristic was the size and intensity 

 of the blue in spot 9. It ranged from large, to small and iridescence varied from 

 brilliant to dull. This spot was successfully used to classify all big sagebrush 

 samples into the two basic groups with the other spots being used to make 

 subgroups. 



