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)