Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T22:39:30.209Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Etiolated Growth of Range Grasses for an Indication of Tolerance to Atrazine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

J. A. Young
Affiliation:
Sci. and Ed. Admin., Federal Research, U. S. Dep. Agric., Renewable Resource Center, Univ. of Nevada, 920 Valley Rd., Reno, NV 89512
R. A. Evans
Affiliation:
Sci. and Ed. Admin., Federal Research, U. S. Dep. Agric., Renewable Resource Center, Univ. of Nevada, 920 Valley Rd., Reno, NV 89512

Abstract

Our purpose was to investigate the influence of growth reserves of perennial range grasses on their tolerance to applications of atrazine [2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine]. Competing annual grasses were removed with atrazine treatment at 1.1 kg/ha. The carbohydrate reserves of the perennial grasses were reduced by mowing the previous season. Crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schult.] plants with reduced carbohydrate reserves, as indicated by reduced etiolated growth, were less tolerant to atrazine than their nonmowed counterparts. Without reduced carbohydrate reserves, squirreltail [Sitanion hystrix (Nutt.) J. G. Smith] was much more susceptible to atrazine than crested wheatgrass. Thus, the weed control treatment did not necessarily increase the density of desirable perennial grasses.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1978 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. 1973. Mode of Action of Herbicides. A Wiley-Interscience Publ. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 504 pp.Google Scholar
2. Burton, G. W. and Jackson, J. E. 1962. A method for measuring sod reserves. Agron. J. 54:5355.Google Scholar
3. Eckert, R. E. Jr. and Evans, R. A. 1967. A chemical-fallow technique for control of downy brome and establishment of perennial grass on rangeland. J. Range. Manage. 20:3541.Google Scholar
4. Evans, R. A., Young, J. A., and Eckert, R. E. Jr. 1969. Herbaceous weed control and revegetation of semiarid rangelands in the western United States. Outlook on Agriculture. 6:6066.Google Scholar
5. Hyder, D. N. and Sneva, F. A. 1959. Growth and carbohydrate trends in crested wheatgrass. J. Range Manage. 12:271276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Kay, B. L. 1971. Atrazine and simazine increase yield and quality of range forage. Weed Sci. 19:370372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Matches, A. G. 1969. Influence of cutting height in darkness on measurement of energy reserves of tall fescue. Agron. J. 61:896898.Google Scholar
8. Smith, Dale. 1968. Classification of several native North American grasses as starch or fructosan accumulators in relation to taxonomy. J. Brit. Grassland Soc. 23:306309.Google Scholar
9. Trlica, M. J. and Cook, C. W. 1971. Defoliation effects on carbohydrate reserves of desert species. J. Range Manage. 24:418425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. White, L. M. 1974. Carbohydrate reserves of grasses: A review. J. Range Manage. 27:1318.Google Scholar
11. Young, J. A. and Evans, R. A. 1974. Phenology of Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus subspecies viscidiflorus (Hook.). Nutt. Weed Sci. 22:469475.CrossRefGoogle Scholar