VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Sisymbrium altissimum | Tumblemustard 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Tumblemustard is of low value to both livestock and wildlife.  Its low
palatability and resistance to damage from trampling has contributed to
its widespread invasion of rangelands throughout the Intermountain
region.  The occurrence of plants in grain fields not only reduces
production, but also makes commercial feed unpalatable to most livestock
except sheep [25].


PALATABILITY : 
Tumblemustard is generally low in palatability to both livestock and
wildlife.  Young and tender growth is, however, fairly palatable to
cattle and sheep [25].  The relish and degree of use shown by livestock
and wildlife species for tumblemustard in several western states is
rated as follows [7]:

                       MT        ND        UT        WY

Cattle                Poor      Poor      Poor      Fair  
Sheep                 Fair      Fair      Fair      Fair 
Horses                Poor      Poor      Fair      Poor 
Pronghorn             ----      ----      Fair      ---- 
Elk                   Poor      ----      Fair      ---- 
Mule deer             Poor      ----      Fair      ---- 
Small mammals         ----      ----      Fair      ---- 
Small nongame birds   ----      ----      Fair      ---- 
Upland game birds     ----      ----      Fair      ---- 
Waterfowl             ----      ----      Poor      ---- 


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Tumblemustard is rated poor in both energy and protein value [7].


COVER VALUE : 
The degree to which tumblemustard provides environmental protection
during one or more seasons for wildlife species in Utah is as follows
[7]:

Pronghorn             Poor 
Elk                   Poor 
Mule deer             Poor   
Small mammals         Fair 
Small nongame birds   Fair 
Upland game birds     Fair 
Waterfowl             Poor 


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Tumblemustard is an introduced, weedy annual that has low potential for
use in rehabilitation [7].  Although dense stands can rapidly establish
on highly disturbed sites, the short taproot of this plant results in
negligible soil stabilization [28].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Tumblemustard rapidly invades disturbed sites [5,6,18] and is maintained
where repeated disturbance results in a continual thinning of plants
[20].  The potential for the establishment of extensive stands of
mustard is greatly increased where management activities result in a
predominance of bare soil.  Areas where herbaceous perennial cover has
been severely depleted are particularly susceptible.  Such sites would
include the drier big sagebrush habitat types (Artemisia tridentata ssp.
tridentata and ssp. wyomingensis), where the herbaceous perennial
component is naturally quite low [4,10], and most overgrazed rangeland
[27,31].

Related categories for Species: Sisymbrium altissimum | Tumblemustard