• IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE
• PALATABILITY
• NUTRITIONAL VALUE
• COVER VALUE
• VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES
• OTHER USES AND VALUES
• MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE:

Indian ricegrass has good forage value for domestic sheep, cattle, and horses. It can be important cattle forage in winter, particularly in salt desert communities [24,130]. Indian ricegrass is often used most heavily in late winter, when succulent and nutritious new green leaves are produced [59,60]. It supplies a source of green feed before most other native grasses have produced much new growth [95]. Consequently, Indian ricegrass is often heavily grazed before animals leave winter ranges [51].

Indian ricegrass also produces abundant foliage in spring and early summer when it is readily eaten. It cures well and provides excellent winter forage for cattle, domestic sheep, and horses [58,107]. Domestic sheep grazing may be heavy in spring [79,89].

Beale and Smith [11] report that Indian ricegrass is eaten by pronghorn in "moderate" amounts whenever available. In western Utah, Indian ricegrass receives moderate pronghorn use from March through May. In Nevada it is consumed by desert bighorns, and in parts of the Rocky Mountains it is a highly valued fall elk food [20,75]. Indian ricegrass is eaten by mule deer in spring in Idaho [78]. It is also heavily grazed by bison in August in the shortgrass prairie region [91].

A number of heteromyid rodents inhabiting desert rangelands show preference for seed of Indian ricegrass [82]. Rodents known to feed on the seeds of this species include several species of kangaroo rat (such as the Great Basin kangaroo rat), pocket mice (long-tailed pocket mouse, little pocket mouse, Great Basin pocket mouse), dark kangaroo mouse, western harvest mouse, and various species of deer mice [15,68]. Although the deer mouse caches and consumes seed, it appears to be less dependent than other rodents on seed as a food source [15]. The spotted ground squirrel consumes Indian ricegrass in southeastern New Mexico, as does Townsend's ground squirrel in the Snake River Birds of Prey Area of Idaho [15,126]. Indian ricegrass is also used by the bushy-tailed woodrat [66]. In Colorado, black-tailed prairie dogs feed on Indian ricegrass, particularly in fall and winter [54].

Indian ricegrass is an important component of jackrabbit diets in spring and summer [39,49,67]. In Nevada, Indian ricegrass may even dominate jackrabbit diets during the spring through early summer months [39]. In Utah, jackrabbits used up to 50% of the current growth during June [34]. Intensity of use varied with topography; average use intensity of 94% was reported in the foothills, but use in the valley floor was reported to be 32% [34]. MacCracken and Hansen [80] report that Indian ricegrass is an important part of the fall-winter diet of black-tailed jackrabbit in southeastern Idaho. In Utah, jackrabbits consume small amounts during mid-November [34]. In parts of south-central Idaho, Indian ricegrass forms a "significant part" of mountain cottontail diets [66], particularly in spring and summer [80].

Indian ricegrass seed provides food for many species of birds. Doves, for example, eat large amounts of shattered Indian ricegrass seed lying on the ground [53].

PALATABILITY:

Indian ricegrass is described as highly palatable to all classes of livestock in both green and cured condition [18,58]. Indian ricegrass has been reported as "dependably palatable" in winter [56]. However, flowerstalks are unpalatable late in the spring and are not grazed at that time [89]. Seeds and seedstalks are relished by domestic sheep [60].

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

Indian ricegrass does not provide enough digestible protein to meet minimum requirements for some ungulates [116]. It is deficient in phosphorous, carotene, and digestible protein but is a relatively good energy source [29]. Indian ricegrass seed has approximately 4058.0 calories per gram (16.1 ash-free calories per seed) [71].

Seeds of Indian ricegrass are large and high in protein [58].

Dry matter digestibility of Indian ricegrass is 50.5%, with crude protein of 3.7% [112]. Specific food values are as follows [71]:

                                     Total weight (%)
dry matter = 92.6          structural carbohydrates = 32.2          ash = 4.5
free water = 7.4           lignin = 8.4                             crude protein = 13.1
cell walls = 43.1          acid insoluble ash = 2.5                 solvent extract = 2.8
soluble ash = 2.0          cell contents = 56.9                     soluble carbohydrates = 39.0
                           non-nutritive matter = 10.9

COVER VALUE:

The degree to which Indian ricegrass provides cover for wildlife species has been rated as follows [28]:

                        UT      CO      WY      MT       ND
Elk                     poor    ----    poor    ----     ----
Mule deer           	poor    ----    poor    ----     fair
White-tailed deer       ----    ----    poor    ----     fair
Pronghorn           	poor    ----    poor    ----     poor
Upland game bird    	good    ----    poor    poor     ----
Waterfowl           	poor    ----    poor    ----     ----
Small nongame bird  	good    fair    fair    poor     ----
Small mammals       	good    fair    poor    ----     ----

VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:

Indian ricegrass is well-suited for surface erosion control and desert revegetation although it is not highly effective in controlling sand movement [25,61,81]. Certain native ecotypes exhibit desirable characteristics such as drought and salinity tolerance, low seed dormancy, and good nutritional qualities [84]. However, Indian ricegrass can be difficult to establish [70]. Indian ricegrass can be useful in the reclamation of many arid and semiarid areas in the western United States [84]. Typical sites include those in which vegetation has been removed due to surface mining, construction activity, brush control, heavy grazing, or fire [110]. Indian ricegrass can be used for revegetating degraded rangelands in areas of low precipitation and has naturally revegetated overgrazed ranges in parts of Utah [110,125].

Seed is generally planted in the fall [35]. Seeding can be accomplished through drilling or broadcasting [6,12]. Commercially available cultivars include 'Paloma' and 'Nazpar' [6,35,84,85].

OTHER USES AND VALUES:

Indian ricegrass seeds make a gluten-free, nutritious flour with a potentially good market [133]. Indian ricegrass was traditionally eaten by some Native American peoples [72]. The Paiutes used seed as a reserve food source [24]. 

The large-seeded panicle is often used in dry floral arrangements [61].

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Heavy early spring grazing may sharply reduce the vigor of Indian ricegrass and decrease the stand [107]. Plants that do survive exhibit poor vigor with short sparse foliage and dead centers, and may produce no litter or flower stalks [9]. In eastern Idaho, productivity of Indian ricegrass was at least 10 times greater in undisturbed plots than in heavily grazed ones [88]. In southeastern Idaho where grazing was eliminated for 25 years, Indian ricegrass increased in cover 5 fold. Both the density and basal area decreased with increasing grazing intensity in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah. The seed crop may be reduced where grazing is heavy [15].

However, Chambers and Norton [27] report that Indian ricegrass can survive or even benefit by heavy grazing. Cover actually increased on areas open to grazing on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory [8]. Similar increases have been observed on grazed desert ranges of Utah [27]. In New Mexico, long-term heavy grazing (>50 years) appeared to have little effect on the root and crown biomass of Indian ricegrass and did not decrease seed production potential [84,85]. In the Four Corners region, past heavy grazing appeared to have little effect on cover, production, or density of Indian ricegrass [86].

Recommended use of annual growth is no more than 75% [18,59]. Indian ricegrass is apparently more tolerant of grazing after June 1 than earlier and thus responds well to spring deferment [107]. Pearson [87] reports that although there may be some annual variation, this species "cannot tolerate" complete harvesting from approximately June 1 through August 10. To protect a stand, livestock can be removed while there is still sufficient moisture for the plants to recover, grow, and produce seed [53]. Yorks and others [128] report that cover of Indian ricegrass increased after chaining. Changes in cover following various types of mechanical disturbance have been documented [16].

Related categories for SPECIES: Achnatherum hymenoides | Indian Ricegrass