2017 ASHS Annual Conference

Native American populations in the Four Corners area have largely lost their connection to agriculture and face serious health challenges due to poor diet and limited availability of nutritious fruits and vegetables. With the need to address pressing nutritional concerns for Native American’s in the Southwest, this study looks into assessing the germination response of Navajo Spinach, Cleome serrulata, to temperature, scarification requirements, and evaluating approved seed treatments to enhance germination to warrant local production in the Southwest. Historical practices for cultivating and preserving C. serrulata have been documented and outreach products relevant for targeted audiences at Chapter Houses, high school agriculture programs, and Extension are being created. Uses of C. serrulata include dye for wool, paint for pottery, to support bee populations, and provide high nutrition (Vitamin A) food products for Native American communities and livestock. Wild collected C. serrulata seed was collected from various locations in the Navajo and Zuni Reservations were compared to C. serrulata seed from Great Basin Seed Company. Seed viability was tested using Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride. Seed germination trials consisted of chilling at 4C, 7C, 10C, or 20C for four weeks after being pre-treated with or without hydrogen peroxide and GA3. Seed presoaked in GA3 and hydrogen peroxide germinated faster and at higher rates at 4C compared to other treatments for all locations tested. Understanding the appropriate seed germination conditions from different regions will be important in re-establishing this species as a native crop.