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ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #145897
Title: JAPANESE BROME IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS

Author
item Haferkamp, Marshall
item Heitschmidt, Rodney
item Grings, Elaine
item Macneil, Michael

Submitted to: Wyoming Cheatgrass Awareness Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2003
Publication Date: 2/24/2003
Citation: HAFERKAMP, M.R., HEITSCHMIDT, R.K., GRINGS, E.E., MACNEIL, M.D. JAPANESE BROME IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS. Wyoming Cheatgrass Awareness Conference. 2003. p. 14.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus) and downy brome (B. tectorum), both introduced annual weedy grasses have invaded thousands of hectares of Northern Great Plains rangeland. Presented is a summary of information derived from a series of studies conducted at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory during the 1990s. Seed production and dormancy characteristics allow brome to persist on rangelands; seeds germinate over a wide range of temperatures and when green; forage production is erratic from year to year; removing brome plants from native rangeland initially reduces peak forage production and increases western wheatgrass (Pascopyron smithii) production; and livestock gains are increased with brome removal by atrazine, as are crude protein concentration of livestock diets, due both to shift in botanical composition of diets and the increase in crude protein concentration of vegetation with brome removal. Annual bromes appear to impact production of both native vegetation and livestock in the Northern Great Plains.