VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Distichlis spicata | Saltgrass 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Llivestock generally avoid the harsh foliage of saltgrass.  It usually
remains green all summer long, even after other upland grasses become
dry.  If it is the only green vegetation in the area, livestock will eat
it during the summer [63].  The seeds are eaten by numerous species of
waterfowl and small mammals [54].


PALATABILITY : 
Saltgrass is harsh, wiry, and tough.  It and is of low to fair
palatability for livestock and wildlife [53,76,82].

The degree of use shown by livestock and wildlife species for
saltgrass in several western states is rated as follows [16,63]:

                      CO     MT     ND     TX     UT     WY   
Cattle               fair   poor   poor   fair   fair   fair
Sheep                fair   fair   poor   ----   poor   fair
Horses               fair   good   fair   fair   fair   good
Pronghorn            ----   poor   poor   ----   poor   poor
Elk                  ----   poor   ----   ----   poor   good
Mule deer            ----   poor   poor   ----   poor   poor 
White-tailed deer    ----   poor   poor   ----   ----   poor
Small mammals        ----   ----   ----   ----   fair   fair
Small nongame birds  ----   ----   ----   ----   poor   good
Upland game birds    ----   ----   ----   ----   poor   fair
Waterfowl            ----   good   fair   ----   fair   good


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Saltgrass is low in nutritive value.  For cattle, diets of straight
saltgrass should be avoided.  Livestock that graze on this species only
can develop severe rumen compaction [76].

Nutritional values of North Dakota plants, analyzed during full bloom in
August, are given below [39]:

% moisture   % ash   % crude protein   % crude fiber   % N fee extract

   15         8.91        8.11             26.53           39.95

In Utah, the protein content of aerial plant parts dropped from 15 to 5
percent from April 1 to July 30, and remained at 5 percent through
September [32].



COVER VALUE : 
Saltgrass provides cover for small wildlife species.  It often forms a
dense sod, which provides good concealment.  Pure stands of saltgrass
provide nesting sites for numerous species of ducks and shorebirds
[5,87].  Nests can be subjected to flooding on some sites.


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Saltgrass is an outstanding plant for wind or water erosion control on
saline or alkaline sites.  Sites that have been stabilized with
saltgrass include oil drilling sites contaminated from saltwater spills
[31], red mud (bauxite residue) impoundments from mining activities
[23], dry, saline lakebeds [19], the crowns and banks of irrigation
ditches and levees [48], disturbed riparian sites [56], and roadside
ditches [75].

Commercial seed is not available, but rhizomes collected in the field
and planted onto problem areas quickly sprout and spread.  Rhizomes can
tolerate a wide range of osmotic potentials but are sensitive to
desiccation [55].  Attempts to establish saltgrass from rhizome sections
should be limited to wet, saline areas, unless irrigation is used during
establishment.  Planting rhizomes at depths of 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm)
has proven to be most successful [15].  Examination of rhizomes
collected in the field showed that roughly 67 percent are capable of
sprouting and forming shoots in any season.  Rhizomes may be stored for
up to 28 days at temperatures ranging from 35 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
(2-10 deg C) and at a relative humidity of 60 to 75 percent.  Growth of
rhizomes has been found to be best at temperatures between 77 and 86
degrees Fahrenheit (25-30 deg C) [55].  Although seed sources are
limited, proper methods for seeding saltgrass have been discussed
[10,11].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Saltgrass is highly resistant to grazing and is classified as an
increaser.  Because it normally occurs on moist sites, it is used to its
best advantage during periods of drought.  Cattle should not be allowed
to graze it continually in late fall and winter when other more
palatable grasses are scarce.  If this cannot be avoided, cattle should
be fed 5 pounds of alfalfa hay per head per day [76,82].

Saltgrass is highly resistant to trampling.  It is therefore desirable
in areas where livestock concentrate, such as watering sites, corrals,
and trails [76].  It was found to be the most wear-resistant of several
grasses subjected to various rates of compaction and wear from pick-up
trucks [21].

Because saltgrass is a poor forage, attempts have been made to
rehabilitate saltgrass meadows by killing the saltgrass and planting
more palatable salt-tolerant grasses [6,46].  Plowing, discing, and
other mechanical methods have proven ineffective in controlling it
because it regrows profusely from rhizomes [49,50].  The herbicide
ghyphosate has killed up to 98 percent of this grass in field and
greenhouse experiments [49,50].

Soils of saltgrass-dominated sites are often high in clay content and
are susceptible to compaction.  Trails and roads should be located on
adjacent uplands [34].  A sod formation of saltgrass around lakes often
indicates alkaline conditions which are unfavorable for fish [33].

Related categories for Species: Distichlis spicata | Saltgrass