Herbicide-assisted restoration of Great Basin sagebrush steppe infested with medusahead and downy brome

Published source details Kyser G.B., Wilson R.G., Zhang J. & DiTomaso J.M. (2013) Herbicide-assisted restoration of Great Basin sagebrush steppe infested with medusahead and downy brome. Rangeland Ecology & Management (previously Journal of Range Management 1948-2004), 66, 588-596.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use herbicide to control grass Action Link

Use herbicide to control grass

A replicated, controlled study in 2008–2011 in two sagebrush steppe sites in California, USA (Kyser et al. 2013) that had been invaded by non-native grasses found that spraying with herbicide reduced cover of non-native grasses in the majority of cases, but did not alter cover of perennial grasses. In four of six cases cover of the non-native grasses medusahead Taeniatherum caput-medusae and downy brome Bromus tectorum was lower in areas sprayed with herbicide (0–6%) than in unsprayed areas (2–52%) and in two cases there was no significant difference (sprayed: 0–1%, unsprayed: 0–1%). Cover of perennial grasses did not differ significantly between areas that had been sprayed with herbicide (3–12%) and unsprayed areas (4–6%). Twenty 30 x 30 m plots were established at two sites, 16 were sprayed with herbicides in October 2008, while four other plots were not sprayed with herbicide. Shrubland seed was sown in all plots in September 2009. Plots were surveyed in June 2009–2001 by randomly placing between five and 15 quadrats in each plot.

(Summarised by: Phil Martin)