Rangeland Ecology & Management

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EFFECTIVENESS OF SPRING CUTTING AND GLYPHOSATE FOR YELLOW FLAG IRIS MANAGEMENT ALONG THE NIOBRARA RIVER
Author
Spaak, Jordan
Meiman, Paul J.
Hauk, Brennan
Budde, Peter
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2015
Body

Yellow Flag Iris (YFI) (Iris pseudacorus) is a non-native, invasive plant that is causing substantial changes to the ecology and adjacent riparian habitat of the Niobrara River in Sioux County, Nebraska. Native plant species are being replaced by YFI, which in turn affects waterfowl, fish, and domestic livestock. Options for invasive plant management along the Niobrara River, like most riparian wetlands, are quite limited. Previous studies on the effectiveness of imazapyr and glyphosate on YFI, suggest that imazapyr is more effective. However, use restrictions related to irrigation diversion limit the feasibility of using imazapyr. This study is being conducted to determine the extent to which cutting iris early in the spring improves the effectiveness of subsequent glyphosate application for reduction of YFI. We are also interested in determining the extent to which cutting and herbicide treatments affect the survival of Carex nebrascensis and Juncus arcticus planted after herbicide application and the ability of these native plants to compete with surviving or recolonizing YFI. Forty-eight, 2- x 2-m study plots are being assessed, with six treatment combinations, replicated eight times, over an approximate 1 mile stretch of the riparian area. The treatment combinations include all combinations of early spring cutting (cut and uncut), spring herbicide application (sprayed at an 8 percent rate with glyphosate and unsprayed), and planting natives (planted and unplanted). Iris density was recorded three times throughout the growing season. Results from analyses on the effects of cutting and herbicide on YFI density, and native plant survival from the first year of the study will be presented.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Sacramento, CA