United States Department of Agriculture Field Guide for Managing Jointed Goatgrass in the Southwest Forest Southwestern Service Region TP-R3-16-29 Revised June 2017 Cover Photos Top left: Jointed goatgrass intermixed with wheat — USDA APHIS PPQ Archive, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org Top right: Jointed goatgrass inflorescences with awns— Steve Dewey, Utah State Univ., Bugwood.org Bottom left: Jointed goatgrass spikelets along rachis — Joseph M. DiTomaso, Univ. of Calif.-Davis, Bugwood.org Bottom right: Jointed goatgrass spikelets (joints) — Steve Hurst, USDA PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 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Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Printed on recycled paper Jointed Goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica Host; A. cylindrical rubiginosa Merr; Cylindropyrum cylindricum Merr; Triticum cylindricum Merr) Grass family (Poaceae), Triticeae tribe Jointed goatgrass is a common weed that has spread into arranged flat blades, 0.07–0.11 inch wide and 1–6 wildlands via seed from winter wheat croplands. It is listed inches long; fine hairs may also be present on the as a noxious weed in Arizona and New Mexico while in upper and lower blade surface. Texas and Oklahoma it is identified as a troublesome/ • Ligule is membranous but has a fringe of fine hairs common agricultural weed. above the membrane. This field guide serves as the U.S. Forest Service’s • Cylindrical-shaped spike inflorescences called recommendations for management of jointed goatgrass in spikes (2–4 inches long) with 5-10 spikelets (joints) woodlands and rangelands associated with the per spike. Each spikelet contains 1-3 viable seeds. Southwestern Region. The Southwestern Region covers Spikelets are embedded alternately along the Arizona and New Mexico, which together have 11 national inflorescence stem (rachis) giving a zigzag forests. The Region also administer 4 national grasslands appearance. The lower spikelets tend to have a very located in northeastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma, small awn (more like a point); the uppermost and the Texas panhandle. spikelets have long, narrow awns (1-3 inches). Description • Spike shatters into individual spikelets at maturity. The presence of these spikelets lying on the soil Jointed goatgrass (synonyms: jointgrass) is an introduced, surface helps to identify this grass species. cool season, annual grass that is closely related to winter wheat. It is native to western Asia and eastern Europe. • Reproduction is solely by seed, which remain viable Jointed goatgrass can be introduced as a contaminant in for 3–5 years. Each plant can produce more than winter wheat seed as current technology is typically unable 100 spikes, which may contribute approximately to separate these two grass seeds effectively. It is quite 3,000 seeds per plant. However, jointed goatgrass difficult to control selectively within wheat fields or in tends to average only 130 seeds per plant when wild grassland areas. found in a wheat crop. Compacted soil favors germination, thus jointed goatgrass is likely to Growth Characteristics emerge in the tracks between rows. • Introduced, cool season, tufted, annual bunchgrass; 15–30" tall. Ecology Impacts/Threats • Plants resemble winter wheat, but seedlings have Jointed goatgrass is a primary concern within or near areas fine hairs along leaf margins, sheaths, and auricles. with winter wheat where the weed species can contribute to The first leaf to emerge on seedling jointed reduced yield, loss of profitability, and degraded land goatgrass is reddish to brownish-green; whereas values. Because of its similarity to wheat in early growth wheat tends to emerge as a whitish-green leaf. stages, control with herbicides is difficult. In wildland • Stems are hollow and may be upright, slightly situations, it may go unnoticed until the infestation laying down, or abruptly bent near the base. Stems becomes quite severe. Spikelets of jointed goatgrass can be branch at the base; the stems that branch off the a contaminant in wheat seed planted as a cover crop during main stem are called tillers. Mature plants have fine, wildland restoration efforts, such as reseeding after fires. evenly spaced hairs along margins of alternately 1 Site/Distribution attempt to eliminate as many live plants and disrupt as much seed production as possible. Secondary treatments Jointed goatgrass is found mainly as a weed in wheat should aim to prevent seed formation and increase fields or other cropland areas including alfalfa fields and competition from desirable perennial plants. pastures. It escapes to waste areas and is found along roadways, railroad tracks, and other rights-of-way. It The following actions should be considered when planning prefers areas with 10–20 inches of annual precipitation, an overall management approach for jointed goatgrass: between 820 and 6,500 feet in elevation. The species is • Check seed stock, hay, straw, and mulch for presence now found in most States of the continental U.S. of weed seed before using them in weed-free areas; Spread certified weed-free hay or pellets should be fed to Prominent awns on spikelets insure transport and dispersal horses used in backcountry areas. of seed by adhering to clothing, fleece, and animal fur. • Remove grazing animals from infested areas before Seeds may be carried by wind, water, or by small rodents jointed goatgrass seed heads mature. If an infested and is very likely to be a contaminant in grain, especially area has been grazed, confine animals in a holding in winter wheat seed. Seed can germinate on the soil area long enough to allow contaminated waste to surface, although germination is enhanced by compacted pass before moving to an un-infested area. Check soil, as is present between crop rows. Seedlings can animals for presence of seed in fur or fleece. emerge from seed buried to a depth of 4 inches. Monitor animal trails for seed spread in areas of Invasive Features known infestation. Jointed goatgrass seedlings emerge mostly from • Encourage use of spray washing stations to reduce September to early November under favorable soil seed spread when mechanized equipment is utilized moisture. The plant has an overwinter dormant period and inside or near an infestation. then produces new seed in the spring, usually before • Detect, map, and eradicate new populations of winter wheat inflorescences emerge. The seed has a long jointed goatgrass as early as possible, especially in anthesis (flowering) period which allows it to take areas adjacent to grain croplands. Keep annual advantage of favorable weather conditions and to compete records of reported infestations. with wheat and native grasses for sunlight, soil nutrients, and soil moisture. Jointed goatgrass tolerates drought • Combine mechanical, cultural, biological, and better than winter wheat and other annual grasses. chemical methods for most effective control. • Implement monitoring and a follow-up treatment Management plan for missed plants or seedlings. Preventing the introduction of jointed goatgrass should be Table 1 summarizes some management options for jointed the key objective when managing this weedy species. goatgrass control under various situations. Further details Since jointed goatgrass spreads solely via seed, the best on these management options are explained below. Choice way to prevent introduction is to always use certified of control method depends on the current land use and site weed-free seed from a reliable seed source when planting conditions, accessibility, terrain, and microclimate; extent winter wheat in any rangeland or non-cropland situation. and density of infestation; and non-target flora and fauna Once introduced, management should focus on removing present. Other considerations include treatment seed production