The devastation caused by wildfires across Nebraska this year is unimaginable. Communities and people's lives have changed forever. An estimated 981,502 acres have burned statewide in 2026, including 642,029 acres in the Morrill Fire in the Sandhills.
As ranchers work to restore their pastures and rangeland, another concern deserves attention: the potential for invasive plants to establish in areas where they were previously absent.
Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) focuses on identifying potentially invasive plants before they become established or as soon as they appear. An integrated pest management (IPM) plan can then help landowners manage, contain and potentially eradicate these plants before they spread, reducing the need for costly, long-term control efforts.
Landowners and managers should be aware of this risk and prepared to act if unfamiliar plants appear. Invasive plants can spread through equipment, wind, water, wildlife, livestock and transported forage. Following extensive wildfires, seeds and other plant material may be carried considerable distances into new areas of pastures, cropland and riparian sites.
Forage generously donated by producers from other states could also introduce invasive plants not previously found in affected areas. Producers using donated forage should monitor feeding sites for unfamiliar plant species.
Invasive Plants to Watch For
In addition to plants on Nebraska's state and county noxious weed lists, two invasive winter annual grasses are of particular concern for the Sandhills and other grasslands: medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski; Figure 3) and ventenata (Ventenata dubia (Leers) Coss.; Figures 2 and 4).
Both non-native, invasive grasses pose significant ecological and fire risks. Their high silica content makes them less desirable as forage. Heavy infestations can reduce native forage production, form monocultures and decrease biodiversity and land values. Management approaches for both species are similar to those used for cheatgrass.
Other invasive plants to watch for include bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa), Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) and viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare).
Prevention and Early Identification
Prevention is the most effective and least costly approach to managing invasive plants. Regularly scout pastures, rangeland and other affected areas for unfamiliar plants. If you cannot identify a plant, contact your local Nebraska Extension educator or county weed control authority for assistance.
Once an invasive species is identified, early intervention is critical to preventing establishment and seed production. Established infestations are more difficult, costly and time-consuming to control. Effective management may require a combination of approaches as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) plan.
Timing and Methods of Control
The best time to manage winter annual grasses is in the fall, before or shortly after emergence. Perennial plants are generally easier to manage before they become established. For perennial and biennial species that form rosettes, treatment during the rosette stage in early spring or fall after a frost may be most effective.
Mowing can help suppress invasive plants, but it generally does not kill them, so repeated mowing may be necessary to manage regrowth. Once seed heads are visible, mowing may not prevent seed production.
Herbicides are another option for managing invasive plants. Products containing aminopyralid, clopyralid, chlorsulfuron, dicamba, metsulfuron-methyl, picloram (restricted use), triclopyr, glyphosate (nonselective) and 2,4-D have been used to control invasive broadleaf plants.
Indaziflam, imazapic and rimsulfuron can be effective against certain invasive annual grasses, although effectiveness may decline later in the season. Fall applications generally offer the best control. Proper application timing is critical to successful management.
These products may also adversely affect desirable native plants, so carefully review label precautions and restrictions. Tank mixes of multiple herbicides or the addition of a nonionic surfactant may improve control when permitted by product labels. Consult product manufacturer representatives if you have questions. Continue monitoring treated sites for missed plants or regrowth, as additional treatments may be necessary.
Select an herbicide labeled for both the target plant and the application site. Always read, understand and follow all product label instructions, including application restrictions and precautions.
