<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Russ Richardson in WV did a forestry
field day about 2 years ago where a WVU professor did some herbicide trials
on microstegium. An early post-emerge application of Acclaim Extra from
Bayer works well. It is a selective grass herbicides - does not harm cool
season grasses or broadleaf plants.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I recall one of Russ's employees had
tasted the plant and it contains lots of very small spiny structures that
discourage its consumption by herbivores.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Should not be hard to identify the fungus
if you send a sample to a turf disease id lab. Keep in mind that as the
weather cools, the grass may appear to have a fungus although it might
actually just be dieing off with the cool Fall weather - which is normal.
It could also be more suseptible to a fungus as it dies off in the Fall.<br>
</font><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua">Regards,</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua">David Crank</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua">National Accounts Manager</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua">ISA Certified Arborist
#MA-4715A</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua"><b>Bayer Environmental
Science</b></font>
<br><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua">http://www.backedbybayer.com</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua">Mobile: 919-308-3052</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#008080 face="Book Antiqua">David.Crank@BayerCropScience.com</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>Caitlin Cusack <cccusack@hotmail.com></b>
</font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: apwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">10/06/2008 11:41 AM</font>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Johnny Randall <jrandall@email.unc.edu>,
"S. Luke Flory" <sflory@indiana.edu></font>
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<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">apwg@lists.plantconservation.org, Michael
Schenk <schenkmj@earthlink.net></font>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Re: [APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds</font></table>
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<td></table>
<br></table>
<br>
<br>
<br><tt><font size=2><br>
Johnny,<br>
While working in West Virginia I did witness cows grazing on stilt grass.
It certainly wasn't their food of choice but they were eating it.
My field partner has pictures if you want them.<br>
Best,<br>
Caitlin<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------<br>
> Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2008 14:47:40 -0400<br>
> From: jrandall@email.unc.edu<br>
> To: sflory@indiana.edu<br>
> CC: apwg@lists.plantconservation.org; schenkmj@earthlink.net<br>
> Subject: Re: [APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds<br>
> <br>
> No one that I know has ever seen evidence of deer eating Microstegium.
<br>
> Goats don't like it, but Guinea pigs do!<br>
> <br>
> We too have a fungus on Microstegium, which others have tried to <br>
> isolate, but I have lost track of just who. (And there's a Nobel
Prize <br>
> waiting for the ones who can turn this into an effective AND safe
<br>
> biocontrol.)<br>
> <br>
> Johnny<br>
> <br>
> S. Luke Flory wrote:<br>
>> Deer are certainly dispersing seed in their hooves and from bedding
in <br>
>> Microstegium but I don't think they are eating much of it - I
haven't <br>
>> ever seen any browse damage although I work in areas with relatively
<br>
>> low deer densities.<br>
>><br>
>> I also haven't seen hardly any insect damage to Microstegium plants.
<br>
>> If there are insects that eat seed they are not likely eating
enough <br>
>> to put a dent in populations. Most populations have seed/seedling
<br>
>> densities so high that populations self-thin to a great degree
over <br>
>> the course of a growing season (someone once emailed me that they
had <br>
>> counted>100 seedlings in a square inch!). That is, even if
half of <br>
>> the seeds were eaten, populations would likely have the same stem
<br>
>> density and biomass per area at the end of the season. However,
if an <br>
>> insect consumed enough seed it would affect seed dispersal rates...<br>
>><br>
>> I have noticed a fungus that is hitting some Microstegium populations
<br>
>> pretty hard, particularly in open areas where I think morning
dews <br>
>> spread the fungus. We are currently trying to isolate, identify,
and <br>
>> culture the fungus in the lab and are planning experiments next
year <br>
>> to see if the fungus has an effect on Microstegium biomass, seed
<br>
>> production, and ultimately population dynamics.<br>
>><br>
>> Luke<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Michael Schenk wrote:<br>
>>> Yes, deer do seem to be a great mechanism for dispersing stilt
grass. <br>
>>> They like to bed down in it, for one thing.<br>
>>><br>
>>> What I'm wondering is if there is some species which destructively
<br>
>>> feeds on stilt grass seeds and which might be useful as a
biocontrol. <br>
>>> Since they're so small, this would likely be an invertebrate,
maybe <br>
>>> millipedes or some other forest floor small grazer. What generally
<br>
>>> eats small grass seeds?<br>
>>><br>
>>> Mike<br>
>>> -----Original Message-----<br>
>>>> From: "Scott Ruhren Ph.D." <br>
>>>> Sent: Oct 2, 2008 9:21 AM<br>
>>>> To: 'Michael Schenk' , <br>
>>>> apwg@lists.plantconservation.org<br>
>>>> Subject: RE: [APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Mike,<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> I saw a poster at an invasive species conference in CT
with a long <br>
>>>> list of<br>
>>>> invasive plant seeds detected in deer droppings. Many/most
were viable.<br>
>>>> Unfortunately, I do not have the author tec. This dispersal
<br>
>>>> mechanism seems<br>
>>>> plausible as deer sample broadly across the flora.<br>
>>>> Just a thought.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Scott<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> ---<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Scott Ruhren, Ph.D.<br>
>>>> Senior Director of Conservation<br>
>>>> Audubon Society of Rhode Island<br>
>>>> 12 Sanderson Road<br>
>>>> Smithfield, RI 02917<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> 401-949-5454<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> -----Original Message-----<br>
>>>> From: apwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org<br>
>>>> [mailto:apwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf
Of Michael<br>
>>>> Schenk<br>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 11:00 AM<br>
>>>> To: apwg@lists.plantconservation.org<br>
>>>> Subject: [APWG] Stilt Grass Seeds<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Here's today's question: what eats stilt grass seeds,
either on the <br>
>>>> stem or<br>
>>>> on the ground?<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Mike<br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>>> PCA's Alien Plant Working Group mailing list<br>
>>>> APWG@lists.plantconservation.org<br>
>>>> http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconserva
<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> tion.org<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Disclaimer<br>
>>>> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect
ONLY the<br>
>>>> opinion of the individual posting the message.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>>> PCA's Alien Plant Working Group mailing list<br>
>>> APWG@lists.plantconservation.org<br>
>>> http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org
<br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> Disclaimer<br>
>>> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect
ONLY the <br>
>>> opinion of the individual posting the message.<br>
>><br>
> <br>
> -- <br>
> Johnny Randall, Ph.D.<br>
> Assistant Director<br>
> North Carolina Botanical Garden<br>
> CB 3375 <br>
> The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<br>
> Chapel Hill NC 27599<br>
> Phone - 919-962-0522<br>
> FAX - 919-962-3531<br>
> www.ncbg.unc.edu<br>
> <br>
> <br>
> <br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
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> APWG@lists.plantconservation.org<br>
> http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org<br>
> <br>
> Disclaimer<br>
> Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY
the opinion of the individual posting the message.<br>
<br>
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