Rangeland Ecology & Management

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EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR THE CONTROL OF TANGLEHEAD AND BUFFELGRASS ON SOUTH TEXAS RANGELANDS
Author
Mitchell, Scott L.
Wester, David B.
Grahmann, Eric D.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
2014
Body

Invasive grasses are a constant management problem on millions of hectacres of rangelands throughout the United States.  In south Texas, tanglehead (heteropogon contortus) and buffelgrass (pennisetum ciliare) are two perennial bunchgrasses that are causing a severe threat to the biodiversity of native rangelands.  To date, little research has been conducted that has resulted in successful control of these two grasses.  Research is currently being conducted on several ranches in south Texas to determine which management techniques are most effective.  Management techniques such as cool season prescribed burning, summer prescribed burning, disking, moldboarding, grazing and herbicide applications are being used singly and in combination with one another to develp an algorithm for effective control.  Preliminary results indicate that control with a single management technique or a single one-time application is not effective and that multiple techniques paired with multiple applications are most effective for the removal of adult plants and depletion of the soil seed bank.

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Conference Name
SRM Orlando, FL