Mechanical Control and Fertilization as Brush Management Practices Affect Forage Production in South Texas

Abstract

Brush control methods involving a minimum of soil disturbance were the most reliable methods of improving successional stage and increasing forage production. Soil disturbance retarded plant succession and caused a large fluctuation in yearly forage production. Nitrogen fertilizer increased forage production, but adversely affected species composition unless applied in conjunction with mowing. Mowing, as a follow-up maintenance practice, improved range condition, increased forage production on all brush control plots, and greatly increased the beneficial effects of all fertilizer treatments.