ESTABLISHING PRAIRIE GRASS BUFFER STRIPS · 2011-06-29 · ESTABLISHING PRAIRIE GRASS BUFFER STRIPS CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT SHEET AGRONOMY SERIES January 1999 Natural Resources Conservation

ESTABLISHING PRAIRIE GRASSBUFFER STRIPSCONSERVATION MANAGEMENT SHEET AGRONOMY SERIES January 1999

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Michigan

Big Bluestem filter strip sprayed with an Imidazolinone herbicide Plateau

What Are Prairie Grass Buffer Strips?Strips or small areas of land in permanent vegetationthat help control potential pollutants and manageother environmental concerns. Prairie grassesselected for buffer use in Michigan include bigbluestem, switchgrass, little bluestem, indiangrass,intermediate wheatgrass, and tall wheatgrass. Thesegrasses and others were native to southern Michiganprairies prior to settlement and crop production

How Does A Buffer Strip Work?Buffers entrap sediment and other pollutants such asphosphorus, nitrogen, and other plant nutrientsalong with pesticides and organic material fromfields. Buffers create multi-season wildlife food andcover resources as well as connect other habitats as asecure travel corridor.

Where Do Buffers Apply?Vegetative buffers are designed as filter strips, grasswaterways, contour grass strips, cross wind trapstrips, field borders, herbaceous wind barriers, orvegetative barriers. The width of the buffers aredesigned to maximize their effectiveness for theirintended purpose when combined with otherconservation practices such as conservation tillage,nutrient management, and integrated pestmanagement. Working together, these practices willprovide an effective and profitable conservationprogram.

Where to Get More AssistanceAdditional local assistance may be obtained from thelocal office of a Michigan Conservation District orthe USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service(NRCS) office at:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PLANTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Species and Seed SelectionSpecies: Big bluestem, indiangrass, and littlebluestem are fluffy seed grasses. Seeds containmultiple awns or beards that give them a fluffyappearance. Switchgrass and IntermediateWheatgrass are non-fluffy seed grasses. Purchasethe seed and conduct a germination test to determinepure, live seed (PLS) content and proper seedingrate.

Seed quality: Prairie grasses generally have a lowergermination rate than cool season grasses. A seedgermination check is available through the MichiganDepartment of Agriculture Seed Test Laboratorylocated at 1615 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI.Allow at least 1 month for results because prairiegrasses are slow germinating. Adjust the seedingrate based on the germination test results to get thedesired PLS stand.

Site PreparationSoil test: Soil sample at least 6 months prior toplanting, a year ahead of seeding is best.

No-till plantingSod suppression is required. The first step in no-tillestablishment of prairie grasses is to kill or suppressexisting vegetation. Mow the existing sod. Followwith a fall application of ROUNDUP (glyphosate)after 8-10 inches of new growth. Add BANVEL(dicamba) to a fall herbicide treatment programwhere perennial broadleaves are present. PLATEAU(Imazapic) may also be added when tall fescue orother cool season grasses are the target weed species.New growth may occur in the spring because oflimited leaf surface area due to grazing, plantage/height, or climatic factors (dry conditions); anadditional treatment of ROUNDUP may be needed.

Tilled plantingA weed-free, small aggregated, firm seedbed isdesired except on highly erodible land. Cultipackdry soil only as needed because crusting limitsseedling emergence if soils are worked wet,especially on ditch spoils. Sod suppression alsoapplies to a tilled seedbed. Eliminate severe weedproblems, such as quackgrass sod, perennialbroadleaf weeds (horsenettle, Canada thistle),smooth bromegrass or other plants with fall-appliedROUNDUP or by clean tillage then summerfollowing. A fall cover crop of oats, seeded at 1/2bushel per acre, provides excellent cover to seed intothe fall prepared seedbed the following spring.

Planting DepthPlant seeds about the depth of your fingernail (i.e.,1/4 to 1/2 inch deep) with grain drills, no-till drills,or broadcast seeders. A level seedbed is necessary!A good rule of thumb is to see about 30% of the seedon top of the ground. Drilling grass and legumeseeds in rows has proven to give the most consistentresults. Grass drills have an agitator in the seedboxto keep the grass seed moving to prevent bridgingover the seed meter openings and skips in the finalstand.

An alternative seeding method is to broadcast seedwith the fertilizer. Set the fertilizer spreader at 1/2the planned fertilizer rate, drive over the field twiceeither splitting the middle of the previous tracks orbroadcasting the seed perpendicular to previoustracts. Cultipack to firm the seedbed both beforeand after broadcast seeding.

Weed control during the seeding year

Prairie grasses are greatly benefited by weed controlduring the seeding year. A weed canopy isdamaging because prairie grasses don’t tolerateshade. To reduce shade, mow vegetation to 6-8inches before early August. If prairie grasses areless than the 4-5-leaf stage, use 2,4-D for broadleafcontrol to eliminate shade. Also, adding 2,4-Dshould improve common ragweed control.

Residual Imidazolinone herbicides can be used tocontrol annual weeds. PURSUIT (Imazethapyr)herbicide is registered for use on ConservationReserve Program (CRP) land and AgriculturalReserve Program land seeded to forages, legumesand perennial grasses planted in buffers. Perennialgrass species tolerant to PURSUIT include: bigbluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, Russianwildrye, intermediate wheatgrass, tall wheatgrasscrested wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, smoothbromegrass, canarygrass, and orchardgrass. Also,PURSUIT is registered for use on the followingforage legumes: alfalfa, clovers, crownvetch,birdsfoot trefoil, and lespedizia.

Pursuit application rates: Apply PURSUIT 2AS at 4fluid ounces per acre or PURSUIT 70DG at 1.44ounces per acre early postemergence. Use surfactantand liquid fertilizer as per label. DO NOT APPLYTO GRASSES UNTIL THEY HAVE 4 TRUELEAVES.

PLATEAU herbicide is registered for use on CRPland and Agricultural Reserve Program land seededto forages legumes and perennial forage grasses

planted in buffers. Grass species tolerant toPLATEAU include big bluestem, little bluestem,indiangrass, sideoats grama, blue grama and buffalograss. Also, PLATEAU is registered for use on thefollowing legumes: alfalfa, clovers, crownvetch,birdsfoot trefoil and lespedizia

Switchgrass PLATEAU herbicide is notrecommended for the establishment of switchgrassas severe injury or death may result. Also checkherbicide history. Do not plant prairie grasseswhere herbicides containing SCEPTER (Imazaquinproducts) were applied the year before, as thecarryover combined with Plateau will result insevere injury to the new seeding.

Plateau application rates: Apply PLATEAU 2AS at4 fluid ounces per acre preemergence or earlypostemergence. Make postemergence application 7-10 days after planting when targeted weeds haveemerged, but are less than 6 inches tall. Usesurfactant and liquid fertilizer as per label.

Carefully read and follow all label directions!In table 1 are the results of the NRCS/AmericanCyanamid 1997 Field Trial Results with IMIherbicides. It was observed that:

1. Preemergence applications of PLATEAUprovided greater than 90 percent control ofredroot pigweed, common lambsquarter, andcocklebur.

2. Preemergence PLATEAU applications providedthe best common ragweed control in the trial.Premergence PURSUIT applications providedexcellent redroot pigweed and commonlambsquarter control, but did not provideeffective cocklebur and common ragweedcontrol.

3. POST application of PLATEAU and PURSUITdid not provide control of common ragweed.

4. Big bluestem and indiangrass showed goodtolerance to PURSUIT or PLATEAU treatments.

5. Switchgrass tolerance to PURSUIT orPLATEAU was greater with POST applicationsthan with PRE applications with switchgrassshowing greater tolerance to PURSUIT.

6. Intermediate wheatgrass showed good toleranceto PURSUIT, but did not show tolerance toPLATEAU.

7. Little Bluestem did poorly under all treatments.This may have been due to poor quality seed.

Table 1: Prairie Grass Stand Count, Height Measurement and Seeding Rate September 1997TREATMENT BIG BIG LITTLE LITTLE SWITCH SWITCH INDIAN INDIAN WHEAT WHEAT

BLUE BLUE BLUE BLUE GRASS GRASS GRASS GRASS GRASS GRASS

STAND HEIGHT STAND HEIGHT STAND HEIGHT STAND HEIGHT STAND HEIGHT

# / SF INCHES # / SF INCHES # / SF INCHES # / SF INCHES # / SF INCHES

PLATEAU 4.67 12.33 0.67 1.67 1.00 4.33 3.33 13.00 1.00 6.67

4 OZ PRE

PLATEAU 5.00 10.67 0.33 1.00 0.00 0.00 4.67 13.00 1.00 6.67

8 OZ PRE

PURSUIT 5.00 11.00 0.33 1.33 1.00 3.67 4.67 17.33 5.33 13.67

4 OZ PRE

PLATEAU 6.00 13.33 0.33 1.33 1.67 7.67 3.33 18.67 2.33 11.00

4 OZ E. POST

PLATEAU 4.67 15.67 0.33 0.67 1.33 11.33 4.67 27.00 1.00 4.33

8 OZ E. POST

PURSUIT 3.67 13.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 10.67 2.33 14.67 4.67 12.67

4 OZ L. POST

CHECK 4.33 13.33 0.00 0.00 1.33 21.33 1.67 10.00 4.67 12.33

SEEDINGRATE LB /ac

20 15 10 15 12

CONSIDERATION

PLATEAU and PURSUIT are Imidazolinoneherbicides manufactured by American CyanamidCompany. Both herbicides can control highlycompetitive weeds; thus preventing severecompetition to native grass stands for nutrients andwater. Both herbicides can achieve thiseconomically at low use rates minimizing thechemical load on the environment. Both work byinterrupting a pathway that produces three essentialbranch chain amino acids in plants. This pathway isexclusive to plants.

And is, in part, responsible for EPA’s decision tocategorize these herbicides as “practically non-toxicto fish, birds, mammals, insects, earthworms,arthropods, soil microorganisms and other non-plantlife forms....” The EPA has recently categorized bothas “GROUP E” compounds; meaning PLATEAU orPURSUIT herbicide shows no evidence ofcarcinogenicity. More precisely, both can be used tocontrol problem weeds without compromising thevalues and agenda of the CRP or Ag Resourceprograms.

This Conservation Information Sheet Prepared By: Technical Review By: John LeifJerry Grigar, JR State Agronomist USDA NRCS (MI) MI Field Research Representative American& John Leif Cyanamid

The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion,age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons withdisabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’sTARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD)

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whiten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue,SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Reference/File IndexesTopic Application: Resource Series: References:[ ] Construction [X] Agronomy Plateau Label[ ] Design [ ] Biology Pursuit Label

Plateau Herbicide Registered for CRP Use[ X] Fact [ ] Engineering USDA NRCS (MI) Conservation Practice Associations:[ ] Information [ ] Forestry # 327 Conservation Cover[ ] Management [ ] Hayland # 589C Cross Wind Trap Filter Strips[ ] __________ [ ] Livestock # 393 Filter Strips [ ] Pastureland # 332 Contour Buffer Strips

# 386 Field Borders # 422A Herbaceous Wind Barriers # ? Vegetative Barriers

[ ] Recreation USDA NRCS (MI) Associated Conservation Sheets:

FOCS (MI) Reference Number: [ ] _________ Same number as the standards applies CS ____________