Herbage quality of meadow bromegrass [Bromus biebersteinii Roem and Schult.], smooth bromegrass [Bromus inermis Leyss.], intermediate wheatgrass [Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv.], Russian wildrye [Elymus junceus Fisch.], crested wheatgrass [Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.] in mixtures with alfalfa [Medicago sativa L.] or cicer milkvetch [Astragalus cicer L.] and with the 2 legumes in pure stands at 2 dates of harvest (June 5, June 26) and with 4 rates of fertilizer (0 kg N/ha-0 kg P/ha, O kg N/ha-22 kg P/ha, 45 kg N/ha-0 kg P/ha, 45 kg N/ha-22 kg P/ha) was studied in western Nebraska in 1977 and 1978. Soil at the study site was a loam (Typic Argiustoll) and average annual precipitation is 386 mm. Alfalfa-grass mixtures maintained a higher percentage crude protein than the respective cicer milkvetch-grass mixtures, with the alfalfa-Russian wildrye mixture producing the highest percentage crude protein. Percentage in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of the cicer milkvetch-Russian wildrye mixture was the highest of all mixtures, and the percentage IVDMD of the cicer milkvetch-crested wheatgrass mixture the lowest. Herbage quality was higher for the June 5 harvest than the June 26 harvest. Percentage IVDMD of regrowth, which developed after the June harvests, was higher for plots harvested on June 26 than on June 5. Fertilizer rates had a variable effect on herbage quality. Russian wildrye-legume mixtures generally maintained the highest level of herbage quality.

Abundance, survival, and growth of mamane (Sophora chrysophylla) regeneration were determined inside and outside sheep exclosures located in heavily browsed portions of the mamane forest of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Vegetational cover of other species was estimated. Mamane grew abundantly inside 16-year-old exclosures but was sparse outside. Height class distributions indicated that feral sheep prevented establishment of regeneration. Survival of seedlings and sprouts at 2-year-old exclosures was greater inside than outside. The largest difference between survival inside and outside was found where browsing pressure was greatest. Mamane reproduction exposed to browsing tended to be shorter than protected reproduction. Rate of height growth for protected mamane reproduction was significantly affected by exclosure location. Cover data for preferred browse species other than mamane indicated that 3 endemic grasses-Hawaiian bent (Agrostis sandwicense), he'u-pueo (Trisetum glomeratum), and Deschampsia australis, an endemic shrub-aheahea (Chenopodium oahuense), and an introduced forb-gosmore (Hypochoeris radicata)-were susceptible to browsing. On the basis of these findings, vegetation recovery should be rapid in most areas where feral sheep are eliminated or reduced.

Initial screening of plant species for salt tolerance has often been accomplished by recording germination percent in various salt solutions under controlled environmental conditions. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the incubation time required to properly evaluate the germination percent of 8 forage species in sodium sulfate (NaSO4) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) solutions under controlled conditions; (2) to document the germination percent of the 8 forage species in response to the Na2SO4 and MgSO4 solutions after the required incubation period. The incubation time required to stabilize the germination percent for each species in the salt solutions varied. Alkali sacaton and switchgrass germination percent stabilized after 7 days; fourwing saltbush, little bluestem, red clover, and thickspike wheatgrass required 14 days; and green needlegrass, 21 days. The germination percent of Canby bluegrass increased throughout the 28-day study period. Germination, after the above incubation periods, was enhanced for fourwing saltbush by the Na2 SO4 and MgSO4 treatments. Germination of green needlegrass and red clover was depressed by all salt treatments; and alkali sacaton, little bluestem and switchgrass germination was depressed by the Na2 SO4 treatment. Germination of thickspike wheatgrass and Canby bluegrass (at 28 days) was not affected by any of the salt treatments. Results show the importance of the incubation period used in the initial screening of forage species for salt tolerance. Fourwing saltbush, thickspike wheatgrass, and Canby bluegrass were the least sensitive to the Na2 SO4 and MgSO4 solutions studied.

Common broomweed (Amphiachyris dracunculoides (DC.) Nutt.) behaves both as a winter and as a summer annual. Seeds germinate in either autumn or spring, and the life cycle is completed the following autumn. Seeds were nondormant at maturity, and 48 to 94% of them germinated in light at daily thermoperiods of 15/6, 20/10, 25/15, 30/15 and 35/20 degrees C, but 42% or less germinated in darkness at these temperatures. Thus, a high percentage of the seeds dispersed in early autumn germinate within a few days in warm soil if soil water is not limiting. With late autumn dispersal, however, germination of a high percentage of the seeds is delayed until spring. Vernalization was not required for flowering, and both vernalized and nonvernalized plants flowered under long and short photoperiods. However, plants from vernalized seeds required fewer days to flower under both photoperiods than did plants from nonvernalized controls. Additionally, plants vernalized in the seed and/or seedling stages did not form a rosette prior to shoot elongation, whereas plants not vernalized in the seed or seedling stages formed a rosette.

Honey mesquite [Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC. var. glandulosa (Torr.) Cockerell] response to sprays of 2,4,5-T [(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid) and picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic-acid) + 2,4,5-T was evaluated and correlated with maximum daily photosynthetic rate, upward movement of methylene dye, xylem pressure potential, and percent soil water. Picloram + 2,4,5-T was superior to 2,4,5-T alone for killing honey mesquite from May 15 through August 4. Time of day the herbicide was applied had no significant effect on control. Maximum daily photosynthetic rate varied from 32.9 to 10.1 mg ${\rm CO}_{2}\ {\rm dm}^{-2}$ leaf area hr-1 and was highly correlated (r = 0.89 to 0.92) with honey mesquite control with herbicides. Rate of upward movement of methylene blue dye in the xylom varied from 295 to 44 cm hr-1. (MPa) while soil water content varied from 11.5 to 18.6%. Upward movement of methylene blue dye, xylem pressure potential and percent soil water were not significantly correlated with honey mesquite control.

Crude protein content of herbage produced by buffelgrass, blue panicgrass, and Bell rhodesgrass was improved with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization and clipping every 4 or 8 weeks, compared to harvests only at the end of the growing season. Within a fertilization level, the 8-week clipping frequency generally increased dry matter production of the grasses over the 4-week clipping frequency or the end-of-season single harvest. Kleberg bluestem herbage generally contained less protein at all phenological stages than that of buffelgrass, blue panicgrass, or Bell rhodesgrass, and dry matter production was not increased by fertilization. Crude protein content of Kleberg bluestem herbage was only slightly increased with the highest level of fertilization, regardless of clipping frequency.

The browsed-class method has been developed to measure shrub utilization based on total weight of the plant. It uses growth form to place grazed shrubs into 6 browsed-classes. The method is fast, statistically sound, relatively free from personal bias, easy to learn and use, and can be used in research or land management. In a 10-year case study to determine proper use of hairy mountain-mahogany, plants were clipped initially and then reclipped once each year in the fall or winter over a 7-year period at 0, 10, 30, 50, 70 and 90% levels based on total weight of the plant. This was followed by a 2-year recovery study. Parameters studied were numbers, length, and production of twigs; area of live and dead crown cover; and general vigor and seed production. All criteria, except area of live crown cover, indicated that 50% of total weight was proper use of hairy mountain-mahogany.

A collapsible, graduated multipurpose rod was designed and used in a multiresource inventory. The rod is lightweight and variable in length. It can be used to estimate several vegetation and soil variables, measure water depth, or function as an equipment support and reference point. The approximate cost per 1-m unit is $3.50 and 2 hours labor.