# Presentation: 568225

## Matching PLATEAU and JOURNEY with Your Annual Brome Control Program

- Jim Crosby

## Management Program

- Fuel Breaks
- Green strips
- Restoration
- Release
- Re-vegetating
- After Fire Restoration

##  Important Bromes Phenology & Implications 

- Avg of 1722 seeds/ft2
- Seed bank capable to renew population for 2 to 3 years without density reduction

- Herbicides aid establishment of desirable species by limiting brome population
- - Must have at least a 3 year control plan, utilize IPM

**Notes:**
Knowing the weed: (read slide)

##  Important Bromes Phenology & Implications 

- Utilizes native plant interspace = need residual herbicide
- Can germinate from 2-2.5” – need rain to incorporate herbicide

- Rocky, South facing slopes easily invadedhard to restore

**Notes:**
Knowing the weed: (read slide)

## Invasive annual grass Lifecycle Winter annual

**July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar  Apr  May  Jun**

**Notes:**
Knowing the weed: Life cycle is important to understand when control methods will be most effective.  However, remember that genetics are extremely diverse in any one population so dates for growth stages are not exact and will vary a great deal.  

## Cheatgrass LifecycleSpring germination possible

**Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun**

**Notes:**
Portions of a population may not germinate until March or April depending on rainfall.

## Mechanical

- Cultivation / disking
-  favors annuals
- Damages perennial root systems
- Relocates seeds, extending survival
- W/Herbicide
- Disking followed by Plateau pre-emergence
- Disking followed by Journey post-emergence
- Rate/environment will determine longevity of control

**Notes:**
Know growth response to control options:
Cultivation is not a long-term option.  In fact, avoid cultivation if possible because it well also reduce soil moisture, can increase erosion and is not sustainable.
Mowing can be practical for seasonal knock down of annual brome carcasses.  This reduces fire hazard and helps speed breakdown of the duff layer.  Mowing at the boot stage sounds good – but due to the varied genetic diversity of annual bromes, it is near impossible to achieve this timing with one mowing.  A study showed that after 12 clippings a cheatgrass plant can still produce a seedhead.

## Mechanical

- Mowing
- Clipped 12x in one season, still produced a seedhead
- Reduces cheatgrass height / potential flame length
- W/Herbicide
- Promotes duff layer breakdown
- Utilize constant mowing or mowing/raking to prepare for herbicide treatment

**Notes:**
Know growth response to control options:
Cultivation is not a long-term option.  In fact, avoid cultivation if possible because it well also reduce soil moisture, can increase erosion and is not sustainable.
Mowing can be practical for seasonal knock down of annual brome carcasses.  This reduces fire hazard and helps speed breakdown of the duff layer.  Mowing at the boot stage sounds good – but due to the varied genetic diversity of annual bromes, it is near impossible to achieve this timing with one mowing.  A study showed that after 12 clippings a cheatgrass plant can still produce a seedhead.

## Cultural

- Fire
- Theory: Three consecutive burns can reduce populations
- Reduce desirable species
- Difficulty carrying fire 3rd year
- Results =~ 50% control
- Fall burn typically promotes annuals / fire loving
- Brush fire typically destroys cheatgrass seed
- W/Herbicide
- Use fire to remove duff layer
- Allow ~2wks for carbon to blow off
- Apply PLATEAU or JOURNEY

**Notes:**
Know growth response to control options:
Fire is a very useful control tool, but alone it will not control cheatgrass.  Cheatgrass is a fire loving species.  Re-seeding with competitive plants is essential to a fire program, because the number of fires needed to reducing a cheatgrass population also results in increased injury to native perennials.
In cases where release of native vegetation is no longer an option, pick desirable species that will be competitive against the cheatgrass, even if that means using introduced exotics such as Siberian Wheatgrass or Basoski Wildrye.

## Cultural

- Competitive plant species
- Consider use of non-native, non-invasive grass

- Bluebunch Wheatgrass
- Poor Competitor

- Crested Wheatgrass
- Competes well

- Sandberg’s bluegrass

- Needle&thread

**Notes:**
Know growth response to control options:
Fire is a very useful control tool, but alone it will not control cheatgrass.  Cheatgrass is a fire loving species.  Re-seeding with competitive plants is essential to a fire program, because the number of fires needed to reducing a cheatgrass population also results in increased injury to native perennials.
In cases where release of native vegetation is no longer an option, pick desirable species that will be competitive against the cheatgrass, even if that means using introduced exotics such as Siberian Wheatgrass or Basoski Wildrye.

## Cultural

- Grazing
- Spring grazing / non-selective
- Reduces seed production (does not stop seed production)
- Remove animals to allow natives to recover
- Goats: browse everything,  including brush
- Sheep & Horses: browse close to ground
- Cattle: Pull off leaves
- Allow 2-5 days fordigestive track to clear
- W/Herbicide
- Aid in reduction of thatch
- Heavily graze spring followed by PLATEAU late summer or fall, pre-emeregence to cheatgrass germination

**Notes:**
Know growth response to control options:
Control using fungus or Endophyte technology is still 10 to 20 years from commercial use
Grazing is comparable to mowing – short-term, has its uses, will not result in control.
Grazing is an excellent tool for reducing thatch layer prior to herbicide application and/or reseeding.

## Chemical Options

| Chemical
Control |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Glyphosate
16 oz/acre |  |  |  |  |
| 
5 to 20 oz/acre |  |  |  |  |
| 
2 to 8 oz/acre |  |  |  |  |

**Notes:**
Know growth response to control options:
Some crop products will control cheatgrass, however; they are not labeled for pasture/rangeland or non-crop areas.  Be sure to use products labeled for your site. 
Other non-selective products will control cheatgrass and are labeled for pasture/rangeland, however, they do not help us meet our intended goals of release of desired species, acceptable fuel break production or revegetation goals.
The three main herbicides to consider are Glyphosate (such as Roundup), Journey (Plateau + Roundup) and Plateau herbicide

| JOURNEY® 2.25 gal | PLATEAU® + Glyphosate 
2lb gal            4lb gal |
| --- | --- |
| Rate per acre | Equivalent rate per acre |
| 32oz |             12oz     +     16oz |
| 26.6oz |             10oz     +     13.3oz |
| 21.3oz |               8oz     +     10.6oz |
| 16oz |               6oz     +       8oz |
| 10.6oz |               4oz     +       5.3oz |
| 5.3oz |               2oz     +       2.6oz |

- /

**Notes:**
Equivalent rates of Journey to Plateau

## Chemical

**Notes:**
Knowing the weed: Life cycle is important to understand when control methods will be most effective.  However, remember that genetics are extremely diverse in any one population so dates for growth stages are not exact and will vary a great deal.  

## Pre-emergence

- _Optimum events_

- Spray

- Rain / herbicide incorporation

- Germination/herbicide uptake

- Bromus death

## Pre-emergence

- _Undesirable event sequence_

- Rain

- Brome germination

- Additional brome growth / some brome control

- Rain / herbicide incorporation

- Root growth out of treated zone

- Herbicide application

## Chemical

| Chemical
Control | Timing to Cheat | Selectivity | Residual | Thatch complications |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Glyphosate
16 oz/A | After emergence | Not selective | No residual | No |
| 
5 to 20 oz/A | Prior or 
After emergence | Greatest Selectivity prior to emergence | Soil residual | Not Post applied |
| 
2 to 8 oz/A | Prior to emergence | Most Selective | Soil residual | Yes |

**Notes:**
Selectivity my be a major concern in release areas and green strip production.  A non-selective herbicide can be appropriate for reseeding projects.
Only the active ingredient imazapic, in Journey and Plateau will give residual control.
Thatch must be removed or decreased to get good herbicide to soil contact to allow for pre-emergence control of cheatgrass.  If thatch can not be removed through burning, grazing, mowing/raking or other means, herbicide application should be made with Journey assure best control f larger annual brome plants coming up through the thatch.

## LIGHT LITTER LAYER

**LIGHT LITTER LAYER**

**Notes:**
Light litter is typically not a problem.  If you can easily see the soil surface, this is typically a light litter situation.

## HEAVY LITTER LAYER

**HEAVY LITTER LAYER**

**Notes:**
Heavy litter is when the soil surface is not visible.  Appling herbicide to this type of situation is a waste.  The litter needs to be removed.

## Unable to remove duff

- Unable to remove duff

**Notes:**
Journey has an excellent fit for areas, such as road sides, around buildings and for fuel breaks around residential areas where thatch removal is impractical or difficult.

## Downy brome controlFall Application

- % Downy brome control

**PLATEAU**
**oz/A**

- Application: Nov 3, 1999
- Rating date: May 3, 2000

**All treatments**
**+ 1qt MSO**

**Notes:**
Summary of the three sites:
The ‘no litter’ area represents an area that would have been heavily grazed or burned.  The ‘moderate litter’ area would be 10 to 30% ground cover of plants and leaf litter.  The ‘heavy litter’ area would represent an area where no soil is visible due to a heavy or matted layer of annual brome duff. 
In areas of ‘no litter’ only the low rate is needed for acceptable control.  As the litter or surface trash increases, intercepting more of the herbicide, higher rates are needed to achieve acceptable control.  Increasing the spray volume above 20 gallons/acre or changing nozzle size can aid the herbicide in reaching the soil surface.  A rain or snow following application has always resulted in good control.

## Conservation Targets and Goals

- Fuel Breaks
- Green strips
- Restoration
- Release
- Re-vegetating
- After Fire Restoration

## Create Fuel break to protect life / property

- How close to subdivision(s)?
- Ignition sources
- spread
- What disturbances are promoting cheatgrass?
- Cheatgrass duff layer?
- Desirable species remaining?

**Notes:**
Know the Site: WUI = Wildland/Urban Interface

## Fire Modeling: Creating fire breaks–rate of fire spread

**Rate of spread (m/min) at 50% slope and two wind speeds and 5% fine fuel moisture comparing Plateau treatment to a non-treated area****.**

- Data collected and analyzed by Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc.

- Rate of Spread (m/min)

- 6 min mile

- 10 min mile

- 40 min mile

**6 mile/hr wind                                12 mile/hr wind**

**Notes:**
Analyzing treated sites using the BehavePlus fire model shows the difference as meters/minute in the rate of spread.  As wind speed and slope increase, the difference between Plateau treated areas and cheatgrass infested areas becomes dramatic.  Fire spread in the non-treated, in the worse case scenario, is 3 to 4 times greater than in the treated plots.

## Fire Modeling: Creating fire breaks – flame length

- Data collected and analyzed by Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc.

**6 mile/hr wind                                12 mile/hr wind**

- Flame Length (m)

**Hand**
**tools**

**Cannot be contained from head fire**

**Flame lenghth (m) at 50% slope and two wind speeds and 5% fine fuel moisture comparing Plateau treatment to a non-treated area****.**

## Fuel break

- Operation order
- Assess area for  annual grass
- Complete disturbance
- Remove brush
- Disking
- other
- Apply Plateau or Journey
- Seed area if needed for soil stabilization and annual brome competition

## Conservation Targets and Goals

- Fuel Breaks
- Green strips
- Restoration
- Release
- Re-vegetating
- After Fire Restoration

## Green strip

- Operation order
- Assess area for annual brome
- Prepare seed bed
- Thatch removal
- Prescribed burn
- Over grazing
- Mowing/racking
- other
- Apply Plateau or Journey
- Seed area

## Conservation Targets and Goals

- Fuel Breaks
- Green strips
- Restoration
- Release
- Re-vegetating
- After Fire Restoration

## Release of rangeland from annual brome

- Over grazed?
- Season of grazing?
- Can season be changed?
- Dense mat of cheatgrass thatch?
- Desirables species present?
- How close to Ag production fields

**Notes:**
Know the site: Rangeland site - The following information is focused on annual brome control.

## Release of rangeland from annual brome

- Release of rangeland from annual brome

- Most likely operation to succeed
- Most cost effective
- Immediate benefits
- Reduce fire risk
- Habitat recovery

- Determine cause of significant brome increase
- Adjust operations to reduce factors contributing to brome increase
- Apply Plateau

## ThatchEstablished Planting

| Prior to cheat emergence Light thatch |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prior to cheat emergenceMedium thatch |  |  |
| Post to cheat emergenceLight thatch |  |  |
| Post to cheat emergenceMedium thatch |  |  |
| Heavy thatch |  |  |

- Remove thatch / fire,
- grazing, mowing w/raking

## Release of Rangeland from Annual Brome

- Important considerations
- Desired plant tolerance
- Application rate (gallons/acre)
- Application equipment
- Shadow effect of brush
- Long-term program
- Follow-up treatment in natural interspace ecosystem
- Biological control/ responsible grazing
- Promotion of desirable species to out compete re-invasion

## Conservation Targets and Goals

- Fuel Breaks
- Green strips
- Restoration
- Release
- Re-vegetating
- After Fire Restoration

## Restoration - Revegetation

- Operation order
- Prepare seed bed
- Thatch removal
- Prescribed burn
- Over grazing
- Mowing/racking
- Other
- Apply Plateau or Journey
- Seed area same season

## Conservation Targets and Goals

- Fuel Breaks
- Green strips
- Restoration
- Release
- Re-vegetating
- After Fire Restoration

## After Fire Restoration

- Number of past fires?
- Cheatgrass seed population?
- Desirable species recovery expected?
- Seed mix species?
- Planting method/timing?

**Notes:**
Know the site: rangeland after wildfire

## Prepared seed bedNew Planting

| Prior to cheat emergence Prior to planting |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prior to cheat emergence
After Planting |  |  |
| Post to cheat emergence
Prior to planting |  |  |
| Post to cheat emergenceAfter Planting |  |  |
| After desired seedling emergence |  |  |

## After Fire Restoration

- WITH PLATEAU
- Wildfire May-August
- Allow carbon residue to dissipate (~2wks)
- Apply Plateau (or Journey) after late July up to germination of brome
- Seed at the desired time

- WITH JOURNEY
- Wildfire May-August
- Allow carbon residue to dissipate (~2wks)
- Apply Journey after brome germinate, up to early tiller
- Seed after herbicide application

## Important Points for Success:

- Long-term management plan
- Monitor results
- Utilize competitive plant species
- Manage to give desirable species the advantage
- Consider thatch complications
- Spray herbicide prior to planting!