Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T14:24:15.138Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Rangeland Vegetation Response Following Control of Brownspine Pricklypear (Opuntia phaecantha) with Herbicides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

David L. Price ,
Rodney K. Heitschmidt ,
Steven A. Dowhower  and
James R. Frasure
David L. Price
Affiliation:
Texas Agric. Exp. Stn., Box 1658, Vernon, TX 76384
Rodney K. Heitschmidt
Affiliation:
Texas Agric. Exp. Stn., Box 1658, Vernon, TX 76384
Steven A. Dowhower
Affiliation:
Texas Agric. Exp. Stn., Box 1658, Vernon, TX 76384
James R. Frasure
Affiliation:
Texas Agric. Exp. Stn., Box 1658, Vernon, TX 76384
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Brownspine pricklypear (Opuntia phaecantha Engelm. & Bigel.) was effectively controlled within 2 yr following application of a 1:1 mixture of 2,4,5-T [(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid] and picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid) at a rate of 0.6 kg ae/ha. Brownspine pricklypear canopy cover and dry weight declined from approximately 23% and 3800 kg/ha to 8% and 1600 kg/ha, respectively. No significant difference in total herbaceous forage dry weight was found between plants growing inside brownspine pricklypear canopy areas and plants growing outside the canopy areas. Differences between areas in species composition were significant in that cool-season grasses dominated the canopy area of the brownspine pricklypear colonies while warm-season grasses dominated the area outside the canopy. Control of brownspine pricklypear will enhance livestock carrying capacity of rangeland in the Rolling Plains of Texas by increasing forage availability but not forage production.

Keywords

Range improvementrange ecologyforage productionpicloram2,4,5-T
Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Information
Weed Science , Volume 33 , Issue 5 , September 1985 , pp. 640 - 643
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 by the Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Ashton, F. M. and Crafts, A. S. 1972. Mode of action of herbicides. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 525 pp.Google Scholar
2. Bement, R. E. 1968. Plains pricklypear: Relation to grazing intensity and blue grama yield on Central Great Plains. J. Range Manage. 21:83–86.Google Scholar
3. Cook, C. W. 1942. Insects and weather as they influence growth of cactus on the Central Great Plains. Ecology 23:209–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Dodd, J. L. and Lauenroth, W. K. 1975. Responses of Opuntia polycantha to water and nitrogen perturbations in the shortgrass prairies. Pages 229–240 in Wali, M. K., ed. Prairie: A multiple view. Univ. of North Dakota Press, Grand Forks.Google Scholar
5. Heitschmidt, R. K., Price, D. L., Gordon, R. A., and Frasure, J. B. 1982. Short duration grazing at the Texas Experimental Ranch: Effects on aboveground net primary production and seasonal growth dynamics. J. Range Manage. 35:367–372.Google Scholar
6. Heitschmidt, R. K., Kothmann, M. M., and Rawlins, W. J. 1982. Cow-calf response to stocking rates, grazing systems, and winter supplementation at the Texas Experimental Ranch. J. Range Manage. 35:204–210.Google Scholar
7. Hoffman, G. O. and Darrow, R. A. 1955. Pricklypear good and bad. Tex. Agric. Ext. Serv. Bull. 806. College Station. 12 pp.Google Scholar
8. Houston, W. R. 1963. Plains pricklypear, weather, and grazing in the Northern Great Plains. Ecology 44:569–574.Google Scholar
9. Hyder, D. N., Bement, R. E., Remmenga, E. E., and Terwilliger, C. 1965. Frequency sampling of blue grama range. J. Range Manage. 18:90–93.Google Scholar
10. Hyder, D. N., Bement, R. E., Remmenga, E. E., and Terwilliger, C. 1966. Vegetation-soils and vegetation-grazing relations from frequency data. J. Range Manage. 19:11–17.Google Scholar
11. Klipple, G. E. and Costello, D. F. 1960. Vegetation and cattle responses to different intensities of grazing on shortgrass ranges on the Central Great Plains. U.S. Dep. Agric. Tech. Bull No. 1216. 82 pp.Google Scholar
12. Merrill, L. B. 1954. A variation of deferred rotation grazing for use under southwest range conditions. J. Range Manage. 7:152–154.Google Scholar
13. Stoddart, L. A., Smith, A. D., and Box, T. H. 1975. Range management. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York. 532 pp.Google Scholar