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Posted 10 November 2008. Forage and Grazinglands. Range and Cropland Managers Can Limit Cheatgrass by Fall Management Montana State University. extn.msu.montana.edu Bozeman, Montana (October 29, 2008)--Even in the fall, range and cropland managers have management options that can limit the following year's cheatgrass problem. The details of fall management of cheatgrass are part of a new publication from Montana State University Extension.
"Many plant ecologists believe that cheatgrass is one of the most damaging plant invasions in recent history," said Jane Mangold, MSU Extension rangeland plant specialist. Cheatgrass invaded the United States from Southwestern Asia in the late 1800s, said Mangold. It competes for soil moisture with both native plants and crops, growing earlier and faster than other species. It is a particular problem for winter wheat growers, since both have seedling emergence in the fall followed by early spring growth. "Controlling cheatgrass seedlings in the fall by either mechanical or chemical methods will reduce the number of plants that you find in the spring," said Fabian Menalled, MSU Extension cropland weed specialist. Mangold and Menalled, who are both in MSU's Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, wrote the new publication on cheatgrass management that is titled "Cheatgrass: Identification, Biology and Integrated Management." It is available for free download from the Web or can be ordered as a printed publication. Cheatgrass, also called downy brome, is an annual invasive grass that is widespread across the western United States. At least 100 million acres are dominated by cheatgrass in the Intermountain West, and the infested acreage is increasing in Montana, the MSU Extension specialists said. The most important thing land managers can do is to prevent cheatgrass invasion, said both Mangold and Menalled. If prevention isn't possible, then managing infestations while they are small is the next best option. The new publication helps people identify cheatgrass and better understand its biology, economic and ecological impacts, and management. Understanding the biology of cheatgrass is a vital step for the development of effective integrated management plans, both specialists said. "Cheatgrass: Identification, Biology and Integrated Management" (MontGuide MT200811AG) describes integrated management of cheatgrass in both crop and non-crop settings. It is available for free download at www.msuextension.org or can be ordered through MSU Extension Publications, PO Box 172040, Bozeman, MT 59717-2040. For more information on managing weeds, visit the MSU cropland weed management website at www.ipm.montana.edu/CropWeeds, or contact your county or reservation MSU Extension office. Contact: |
