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The Biology of Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Donald C. Thill ,
K. George Beck  and
Robert H. Callihan
Donald C. Thill
Affiliation:
Dep. Plant, Soil, and Entomol. Sci., Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843
K. George Beck
Affiliation:
Dep. Plant, Soil, and Entomol. Sci., Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843
Robert H. Callihan
Affiliation:
Dep. Plant, Soil, and Entomol. Sci., Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843
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Downy brome (Bromus tectorum L. # BROTE), also known as cheatgrass, downy chess, broncograss, Mormon oats, and junegrass, was introduced into the United States from Europe, apparently during the middle of the nineteenth century (11, 21). According to Mack (23), downy brome entered British Columbia, Washington, and Utah around 1890; and by 1928 it had reached its present range, occupying much of the perennial grassland in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and British Columbia. Today, downy brome is a widespread weed throughout most of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, except for the southeastern United States (5, 17). Some consider downy brome to be an important forage because it provides most of the early spring grazing for livestock in western United States rangeland (21). However, it is also considered a troublesome weed in rangeland (31), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (27), several other crops (29), and noncropland (32).

Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Science , Volume 32 , Issue S1: Supplement 1: Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum) History, Biology, and Control in Agricultural Production Systems. Proceedings of a Symposium of the Weed Science Society of America. February 9, 1983, St. Louis, Missouri , 1984 , pp. 7 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © 1984 by the Weed Science Society of America 

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References

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