Medusahead, Elymus caput-medusae, was documented in California rangelands in the 1950's and has since invaded millions of acres in California, Nevada and Oregon. According to calweedmapper.org, Medusahead is currently in 48 of 58 counties and is in high abundance and spreading mostly unchecked. Medusahead decreases biodiversity, grazing, wildlife habitat and recreation value of rangelands while increasing fire hazard. Although cost of Medusahead depends on what ecosystem service is of greatest concern, forage replacement cost is estimated at $22.50 per acre. Our study contributes to a toolbox of control options that land management professionals can use to tailor site-specific plans that are cost effective.  An option that is showing much promise for being cost effective and practical for landowners is the application of a nitrogen based fertilizer. We are looking at two different rates, thirty and sixty pounds of nitrogen per acre, and applied at either a fall or spring application. Preliminary results from a multi-year project show that timing of application may not be significant, but the application of nitrogen did result in an increase grazing of Medusahead compared to the controls. Significance varied from site to site, but typically sixty pounds of nitrogen per acre had more control of Medusahead over thirty pounds/acre and the control. We believe the addition of nitrogen positively affected the palatability of Medusahead, encouraging livestock grazing. The project will continue for another year, with a second year of fertilization and monitoring plots for at least additional two years.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.