Everything about Drooping Brome totally explained
Drooping brome (
Bromus tectorum) is a
grass native to
Europe, southwestern
Asia and northern
Africa.
It is an
annual, usually germinating in the autumn, overwintering as a seedling, then
flowering in the spring or early summer. If winter rainfall is limiting and spring moisture is adequate, the seeds will germinate in the spring, and the plants will flower that summer. It typically reaches 40-90 cm tall, though plants as small as 2.5 cm may produce seed. It is cleistogamous and self-fertile, with no evident out-crossing. The
seeds are dispersed by wind, small
rodents, or attachment to animal fur, within a week of maturity. They are also moved as a contaminant in hay, grain, straw, and machinery. It is an abundant seed producer, with a potential in excess of 300 seeds per plant; seed production per plant is dependent on plant density. Under optimal conditions, it may produce 450 kg of seed per hectare with about 330,000 seeds/kg.
Drooping Brome has an extensive
root system. The wide-spreading lateral roots are one of the keys to the survival of this plant. A study showed that it had the capability to reduce soil moisture to the permanent wilting point to a depth of 70 cm, reducing competition from other species.
The seeds maintain high viability in dry storage, lasting over 11 years. In the field, under buried conditions, seeds will lose their viability in 2-5 years. The primary limit to
germination is inadequate moisture. Seeds can withstand high soil temperatures. Germination is best in the dark or in diffuse light. They germinate most quickly when covered with soil, but don't need to be in contact with bare soil; some leaf litter cover will generally improve germination and establishment of seedlings. Seedlings emerge rapidly from the top 2.5 cm of soil, and a few plants emerge from depths of 8 cm, but not from seeds 10 cm below the surface.
Habitat
Drooping Brome grows in many climatic areas. It is found primarily in the 150-560 mm precipitation zone. It will grow in almost any type of
soil, including B and C horizons of eroded areas and areas low in
nitrogen. It is most often found on coarse-textured soils and doesn't grow well on heavy, dry, and/or saline soils. It grows in a relatively narrow range of soil temperatures; growth starts at 2.0-3.5°C and slows when temperatures exceed 15°C.
Status as an exotic weed
Drooping Brome has been introduced to southern
Russia, west central
Asia,
North America,
Japan,
South Africa,
Australia,
New Zealand,
Iceland, and
Greenland. It was first found in the
United States (where it's known as
Downy brome or
Cheatgrass) in
1861 in
New York and
Pennsylvania, by
1928 reaching throughout the United States (including
Hawaii and
Alaska), except for
Florida and portions of
Alabama,
Georgia,
South Carolina; it's most abundant in the
Great Basin and
Columbia Basin.
In the US, it grows on
rangelands,
pastures,
prairies, fields, waste areas,
eroded sites, and roadsides. It is much reviled by ranchers and land managers. On the other hand, Drooping Brome seeds are a critical portion of the diet of the
Chukar and
Grey Partridge which have been introduced to the US.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Drooping Brome'.
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