It is drought resistant and well adapted to light droughty soils. Varieties differ in the amount of pubescence on seedhead and leaves. The pubescent varieties are reported to be more drought tolerant and form a sod more rapidly than intermediate varieties. Forage yield is similar among all varieties and types. Both types of intermediate wheatgrass are often included in seed mixtures for hay and pasture due to their ease of establishment and fast growth.
Intermediate wheatgrass is recommended for rotations of three to four years of hay production.
To maintain productivity, do not closely graze in the spring and do not graze past August 1. Intermediate wheatgrass is often used in seed mixtures for wildlife habitat. Reliant is more of a bunch type, developed to be less competitive with alfalfa in hayland plantings. Manska, reselected from Mandan 759, has shown significantly higher forage quality and improved animal daily gain in grazing tests in Nebraska. Bluebunch hybrid Varieties Date Released NewHy 1993 NewHy wheatgrass is a long-lived perennial grass with a moderate amount of vegetative spread developed as a hybrid between quackgrass and bluebunch wheatgrass.