Sericea lespedeza is an invasive plant expanding its range through the grasslands of the Great Plains, displacing native grasses and reducing plant diversity. � Given the historical loss of grasslands and the economic cost of invasive species, it is important to find sustainable management options. �We evaluated the effect of burn season in conjunction with other common management strategies on the reduction of Sericea lespedeza. Our burn treatments included spring burn, fall burn and unburned plots that were subdivided to receive a secondary treatment of herbicide, mowing, fuel load addition, or burn only. �Individual plants were marked within each burn treatment and secondary treatment.� At the end of the growing season prior to the burn treatments and in the following year after the burn treatments, aboveground standing biomass, stem height, stem number, and seed production were measured. �Results indicate that fall burning in conjunction with mowing results in the greatest reduction of stem height, seed weight, and plant biomass. �Mowing after a fall fire appears to have the greatest impact on reducing seed production. �The investment in seed production was reduced in plants after fall fire compared to spring fire regardless of secondary treatment.� Because Sericea lespedeza is a prolific seed producer, the reduced investment in seed production is important for its control.� This study shows that fall fire, especially in conjunction with mowing treatments, can significantly reduce seed production of Sericea lespedeza.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.