Four separate projects have been funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative with West Texas Rangelands Involvement! These projects will combine the expertise of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to provide livestock producer support and increase the use of conservation principles on grazing lands.
Dr. Morgan Treadwell will lead research on better understanding the phytochemical response of resprouting shrub species to prescribed fire.
“This study will focus on common, invasive shrub species that are capable of resprouting following prescribed fire and are frequently the target of land management efforts.” – Treadwell.
Once land owners can better understand the chemical responses of certain plants, they will be able to develop adaptive strategies following prescribed fire to control plants.
In her past research, she has seen that concentrations of certain chemicals in redberry juniper are lowered following a prescribed burn and are more palatable to livestock.
In addition, Treadwell and her partners will also develop a toxic plant app to assist beginning farmers and ranchers. This will help them identify and manage potentially toxic plants on their ranches. For more information on the additional projects awarded, be sure to check out the full article here.