Response of Wildlife Food Plants to Spring Discing of Mesquite Rangeland in Northwest Texas

Abstract

The response of wildlife food plants to spring discing of mesquite rangeland was studied in northwest Texas during 1978-80. Discing increased the canopy coverage and frequency of Halls panicum but usually decreased coverage and frequency of other grasses for at least 1 year. Discing promoted western ragweed, amaranth, hairy false-nightshade, scarlet gaura, scarlet globemallow, green carpetweed, and silverleaf nightshade and discouraged yellow woodsorrel, plantain, common broomweed, and Gordon bladderpod.