Evaluating the potential for micronutrient soil amendments to improve rangeland sustainability.

Commodities

• Agronomic: grass (misc. annual), grass (misc. perennial)
• Additional Plants: native plants

Practices

• Animal Production: feed/forage, range improvement, rangeland/pasture management
• Crop Production: nutrient management, tissue analysis
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
• Natural Resources/Environment: habitat enhancement
• Pest Management: weed ecology
• Production Systems: dryland farming
• Soil Management: soil analysis

Cheatgrass/downy brome (Bromus tectorum) and ventenata (Ventenata dubia) are a large concern for producers in rangelands across the West. These species can reduce perennial forage grasses, negatively impacting ecosystem services and the sustainability of cattle operations. Managing these species is difficult, and many producers are interested in new viable weed management tools. One potential is the micronutrient soil amendment Nutrafix, designed to improve soil health and perennial forage. A potential side effect is the reduction in several weedy species, including cheatgrass and ventenata. However, damage to mature perennial grasses has been reported. Our goals are to improve our understanding of this soil amendment through its impacts on seed germination and establishment of native and non-native species, and its impacts on forage quality and soil health. We will address these goals through four studies. In a controlled environment we will assess the impact of Nutrafix on 1) germination and 2) seedling emergence of three native and two non-native grasses; and 3) on biomass and forage quality of mature native grasses. Our field study 4) will assess forage and soil quality in previously established plots assessing the impact of Nutrafix on cheatgrass management. We will share the outcomes of this research with producers through extension publications, peer reviewed publications, and scientific presentations. The findings from these studies will allow producers to make more informed decisions when considering using Nutrafix to improve their soil health and their native perennial forage quality, both of which can help improve the sustainability of their land.  

The research goals of this project are to improve our understanding of how the soil amendment Nutrafix impacts seed germination and establishment of native and non-native grasses, as well as how it impacts forage quality of mature forage grasses. To achieve our goals we have four objectives.  

Objective 1:
Determine the impact of different rates of Nutrafix on seed germination and dormancy of three native species (bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), and western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii)), and two non-native species (cheatgrass and ventenata) in non-soil media, in a growth chamber. (Fall 2024) 

Objective 2:
Determine the impact of different rates of Nutrafix on seedling establishment of the same five native and non-native species in soil media, in a greenhouse. (Fall 2024) 

Objective 3:
Determine the impact of the recommended rate of Nutrafix on mature native plant species biomass and forage quality in soil media, in a greenhouse. (Winter 2024/2025)   

Objective 4: Determine the impact of Nutrafix on a) forage quality of the native species and b) soil nutrient availability, four years post application in a field setting. (Summer 2024)  

The educational goals of this project are to further educate Montana producers and managers about the specific impacts of Nutrafix on native and non-native species germination and emergence, as well as its impacts on the quality of native forage species and soil nutrient availability. To assess these goals we have one objective, with three sub-objectives.   

Objective 5: Share our results about the impact of Nutrafix on native and non-native grass germination and establishment, as well as native forage and soil quality.  

a) Supply condensed highlights of these results to producers and managers through extension fact sheets and online resources. (Winter-Fall 2025)

b) Present our results to producers and managers through local scientific meetings and field days. (Spring-Summer 2025)

c) Publish these results through peer-reviewed publications in research journals. (Fall 2025)