Rangeland Ecology & Management

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EVALUATION OF SEEDBEDS FOR RANGELAND REHABILITATION
Author
Corrales-Lerma, Raul
Morales-Nieto, Carlos R.
Melgoza-Castillo, Alicia
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2015
Body

Given the conditions of grasslands in Chihuahua, Mexico, there is need to implement technological packages for their improvement. In order to evaluate four seedbeds (SB) and their impact on plant establishment, forage production and reduction of invasive species in a deteriorated grassland, a two-year study was conducted in the Experimental Station La Campana-INIFAP, Chihuahua. An area of ​​approximately 400 ha in poor conditions was selected. As a control, an area without tillage was used (SB-1) and four seedbeds were prepared with the following implements: partial harrow (SB-2), total harrow (SB-3), rangeland rehabilitator (SB-4) and aerator roller (SB-5). On the prepared seedbeds, a single grass mixture was sown including: Bouteloua gracilis (Bogr), Bouteloua curtipendula (Bocu),Leptochloa dubia (Ledu), Eragrostis curvula (Ercu) and Soghum almum as a mothership. The evaluated variables were: plant density per species (PDE), dry matter production from each species (DME), total plant density (TPD) and total dry matter production (TDM). A sample size of 115 quadrants (1.0 m2) and 23 repetitions per seedbed were used. Statistical analysis was performed in SAS 9.1.3 (2006) with the GLM procedure and the Tukey test. Additionally, diversity and similarity indexes of Simson and Sorensen, respectively, were used to compare SB vegetation. The SB-1 presented 90.5, 1.3, 1.1 and 0.4% ofEragrostis lehmanniana (Erle), Brickellia spinulosa, Mimosa biuncifera, and Astragalus mollissimus, respectively, having the highest (P <0.001) percentage of invasive and toxic species. The lower (P <0.001) DM yield was also for SB-1 (1107 ± 138 kg DM ha-1). In the SB prepared, Ercu had the highest (P <0.001) establishment and DM production. SB-2 and SB-3 had the highest (P <0.001) production of TDM (2397 ± 157 and 2305 ± 191 kg DM ha-1, respectively). The highest plant diversity was found in the control bed, where Erle dominated. Erle grass plants decreased in the different SB after overseeding. SB-3 was the least affected by the presence of Erle. The SB-4 showed the lowest presence of Erle. Seedbeds preparation neither favored nor affected the establishment and production of Bogr, Bocu and Ledu. According to site conditions, a good seedbed preparation with either partial harrow, full harrow, aerator roller or rangeland rehabilitator is recommended. Any of these methods increase forage production and combat invasive, toxic and undesirable species.

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