Huisache (Acacia farnesiana) is a thorny brush species that has become a problem on millions of acres across south Texas due to its rapid and aggressive growth that allows it to readily infest rangelands and outcompete profitable forages. In order to understand how huisache control might influence understory plant growth, we assessed differences in herbaceous production in areas under huisache canopy and in interspace areas unaffected by huisache shading. We utilized a paired-plot design and clipped five pairs of 0.25m plots. Plot pairs included one plot directly underneath a mature huisache canopy, and one plot away from (and unshaded by) huisache. Differences between under-canopy and interspace vegetative production were analyzed to understand how huisache removal might influence herbaceous production. We found that vegetative production appears to be influenced by shading from huisache canopy, with under canopy plots producing 94.1 g/m2 and interspace plots producing 103.9 g/m2. Huisache removal, though difficult due to huisache's ability to resprout, may provide improved herbaceous production of forage for livestock and wildlife.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.