Management and Control of Buffelgrass and Kleberg Bluestem
Eric Grahmann Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute
Coauthors Mike
Hehmann – Hixon Ranch Forrest Smith – TAMUK-CKWRI-STN Blake Martin - TAMUK-CKWRI Dr. Tim Fulbright - TAMUK-CKWRI Anna Lund
Introduction Exotic
Grasses
• Widespread in S. TX1 • Forbs less abundant4 • Bareground limiting3 • Insects and grassland birds reduced2
Buffelgrass
Exotic Grass Landscape
Kleberg Bluestem
Ranch History (1980s – 1990s) War
against brush Plant exotic grass
Ranch History (1990’s) (1990s)
– Fire was discovered Aggressive burning program • (1-2yr intervals)
Aggressive Burning Regime 4.
3.
2.
1.
360 ft.
7.
5.
6. 270 ft.
yr 4
yr 3 yr 2 yr 1
630 ft.
Introduction Bobwhite
densities half2 Avoided by scaled quail
Introduction Control
of exotics and restoration unsuccessful5 Exotic grass research group (2008) • Shotgun approach
Methods Pilot
study
• 2 sites (Kleberg bluestem and buffelgrass) • 2 blocks/site Kleberg Site (Sept. 2009) • 0.6 acre plots
(5
treatments and a control)
• Spray Fusillade • Spray Fusillade and Hixon Ranch Burn Mow Plant forbs • Disk and plant natives • Flexible timing of treatment
Buffelgrass Site (Sept. 2009)
Sandy Loam (Buffelgrass)
Other Plots
Ranch Plots
Pilot Plots
Oth er
Plo
ts
Pilot Plots
lots Ranch P
Saline Clay Loam (Kleberg Bluestem)
Kleberg Bluestem - Pretreatment
Kleberg Bluestem Pretreatment (Sept. 2009)
Mow/Spray Fusillade (April 2012)
Burn/Spray Fusillade(Mar. 2012)
Spray Fusillade (April 2012)
Control(April 2012)
Plant Forbs/Spray Fusillade (April 2012)
Pretreatment (Sept. 2009)
Buffelgrass - Pretreatment
Buffelgrass Pretreatment (Sept. 2009)
Mow/Spray Fusillade (April 2012)
Spray Fusillade (April 2012) Control(April 2012)
Plant Forbs/Spray Fusillade (April 2012)
Methods Ranch
study (Not Replicated)
• 1 site (buffelgrass) • 10 acre plots
(4
treatments and a control)
• Plow and Disk Disk / plant natives • Spray Roundup and Plant natives
Repeat Roundup Application 32 oz/acre: Burned / Sprayed 3 Times
Before: July. 2008
September 2009
Repeat Roundup Application
Before: July. 2008
April 2010
Repeat Roundup Application
Before: July. 2008
October 2010
Mowboard Plow and Repeat Disking Burned, Plowed, and Disked Twice
Before: July. 2008
September 2009
Plow and Repeat Disking Burned, Plowed, and Disked Twice
Before: July. 2008
October 2010
Repeat Roundup – Drill Natives
Before: July. 2008
May 2010
Repeat Glyphosate – Drill Natives
October 2010
Wildlife
Conclusions Manage
exotics Fusillade not effective Buffelgrass multiple times roundup Soil disturbance exacerbates invasion But, disturbance needed in monocultures Restoration requires • Preparation • Treatment flexibility • Follow up
Contributors Hixon Ranch and Family South Texas Natives Program Rene Barrientos NRCS
- E. “Kika” de la Garza Plant Materials Center Native Plant Society of Texas Harvey Weil Sportsman Foundation Arthur Seeligson Conservation Fund Ryan Peters Meagan Lesak
Questions ?
Sources 1.
2.
3. 4.
5.
Cox, J. R., M. H. Martin-R, F. A. Ibarra-F, J. H. Fourie, N. F. G. Rethman, and D. G. Wilcox. 1988. The influence of climate and soils on the distribution of four African grasses. Journal of Range Management 41:127-139. Flanders, A. A., W. P. Kuvlesky, D. C. Ruthven, R. E. Zaiglin, R. L. Bingham, T.E. Fulbright, F. Hernandez, and L. A. Brennan. 2006. Effects of invasive exotic grasses on south Texas rangeland breeding birds. The Auk 123:171-182. Sands, J. P. 2007. Impacts of invasive exotic grasses on northern bobwhite habitat use in south Texas. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University-Kingville, Kingsville, Texas, USA. Sands, J. P., L. A. Brennan, F. Hernandez, W. P. Kuvlesky, Jr., J. F. Gallagher, D. C. Ruthven, III, and J. E. Pittman, III. 2009. Impacts of buffelgrass (Pennisetum cilare) on a forb community in south Texas. Invasive Plant Science and Management. 2:130-140 Tjelmeland, A. D., T. E. Fulbright, and J. Lloyd-Reilley. 2008. Evaluation of Herbicides for restoring native grasses in buffelgrass-dominated grasslands. Restoration Ecology 16: 263-269.