Lockeford Plant Materials Center (CAPMC)
Serving the State of California
Established: 1939
Size: 106 acres
PMC Operation: NRCS
Land Ownership: NRCS
The Lockeford Plant Materials Center (CAPMC) was established in Pleasanton, California and relocated to Lockeford in 1973. The Center provides plant solutions for the diverse Californian landscape and serves the Mediterranean climate portions of California. This area is uniquely characterized by its six-month summer dry season and six-month winter rainy season.
The service area has a complex topography composed of broad valleys, including the Central Valley, rolling foot-hills, upland plateaus, and rugged mountains. Agriculture in the service area is extremely diversified, including fruits and vegetables, rangeland with extensive livestock production, dairies, and timber production. We continue to develop plant technologies to promote conservation to address resource concerns within our service area.
The CAPMC’s conservation plant releases include native releases: purple needlegrass, California brome, blue wildrye, sulfur flower buckwheat, inland saltgrass, and fourwing saltbush. Our non-native releases include Berber orchard grass used for range and pasture enhancement, and ‘Lana’ woollypod vetch with utility for cover crops. We continue to develop plant technology for addressing resource concerns, which in California include water-use efficiency for water quality and quantity, air quality wildlife habitat and land restoration especially in riparian areas.
Highlights
SOIL HEALTH AND AIR QUALITY
Develop conservation technology through use of plant materials to enhance sustainability of California agriculture
- Conduct cover crop studies that develop strategies to improve soil health.
- Develop native plant species and maintain foundation seed stocks for conservation activities including cropland and enhanced rangelands.
- Promote use of cover crops through demonstrations and collaboration with the University of California for both soil health and improvement in air quality.
WATER USE IN AGRICULTURE
Improve water quality and quantity
- Demonstrate water use efficiency in agriculture by on-site training for NRCS staff in irrigation systems and water use efficiency.
- Develop drought tolerant cover crop mixtures and alternatives adapted to California conditions, including CAPMC releases such as ‘Cucamonga’ California brome.
- Investigate selection of plant materials for efficacy with treatment of waste water such as vegetated ditches.
WILDLIFE RESOURCES AND POLLINATOR HABITAT
Restore and improve native plant communities
- Develop and promote technology for establishment and maintenance of pollinator habitat, including pollinator hedgerows and meadows in collaboration with the Xerces Society and the University of California, Davis.
- Maintain native plants foundation seed stocks including CAPMC release ‘Rio’ beardless wildrye for use in riparian restoration in partnership with non-profit organizations.
- Promote development and use of native plants with Native American groups through demonstrating methods and techniques for propagating native plants.
Lockeford Plant Materials Center
21001 N. Elliott Rd
PO Box 68
Lockeford, CA 95237-0068
Telephone: 209-727-5319
Fax: 209-727-5923
