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. Management Intermediate wheatgrass has good palatability to livestock and wildlife. Livestock and wildlife will graze it throughout the growing season, but it is most preferred as forage in spring, early summer, and fall. It will not withstand heavy continuous grazing and maintain a healthy productive stand. Stands are not as susceptible to spring and fall freezing as smooth brome, meadow brome, or orchardgrass. Ten to twelve inches of new growth should be attained in spring before grazing is allowed on established stands. A six-inch stubble height should be maintained following each mowing and going into winter. In pasture tests, stands consistently out-yield other grass-legume mixtures. For this reason, stocking rates can be set higher than other grasses. Care should be taken to allow proper rest of 21 to 28 days between grazing periods in irrigated and high moisture situations. When planted with a legume, harvest hay at optimum stage for the legume. This will allow the grass to be harvested prior to flowering and result in very high quality hay. Harvest pure stands for hay when plants start to flower. • Apply nitrogen as needed to maintain vigorous growth. Irrigated seedings and those in higher rainfall zones (18 inches +) will respond well to annual applications of 40 or more pounds of available nitrogen per acre during the establishment year and 70 to 90 pounds per acre each fall. A balance of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer needs to be considered in order to maintain a legume component. A soil test is recommended. Forage production can be restored and stands may benefit from ripping if sodbound conditions occur. Care should be taken to avoid excessive tillage because stands may be damaged. Environmental Concerns: Intermediate is long-lived (50+ years), spreads slowly vegetatively, and very little via seed distribution. It is not considered a "weedy" or invasive species, but can spread into adjoining vegetative communities under ideal climatic and environmental conditions. Research indicates that most seedings do not spread from original plantings. It is known to coexist with native taxa. On favorable sites where it is best adapted, it can maintain dominance and exist as a monoculture. There is no documentation that it crosses with native species. • Seed Production Seed production of intermediate wheatgrass is generally not difficult. If fields are maintained in rows and adequate fertility levels are maintained, seed can be produced for 7 to 10 years or more. Row spacing of 36 inches dryland and 24 to 36 inches irrigated are recommended (although rhizomatous, intermediate wheatgrass should be maintained in rows). Cultivation is required to maintain rows. Average production of 250 to 350 pounds per acre can be expected under dryland conditions. Average production of 450 to 550 pounds per acre can be expected under irrigated conditions. Seed yields drop significantly after about four years of production. Swathing, followed by combining of the cured rows, best completes harvesting. The seed heads will shatter when mature and if direct combining is desired the stand should be harvested with 15 to 20 percent moisture. This will require drying to 12 percent moisture before storing in bins and to 15 percent before storing in sacks. Seed is generally harvested in mid to late August. Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin) Foundation and registered seed of the many cultivars mentioned below are available through the appropriate state Crop Improvement Association or commercial sources. 'Amur' intermediate wheatgrass was developed from seed originally obtained from China by the Pullman PMC and transferred to the Los Lunas PMC, New Mexico and released by the PMC, New Mexico AES and University Park in 1952. It was selected for leafiness, vigorous growth, strong seedling vigor, and good seed production. It is a slow sod former. It was originally released for revegetation of disturbed lands and for pasture seedings at higher elevations. Introgression has occurred resulting in a high percentage of pubescent types over the years. Certified seed stock is no longer available. It has been replaced by species, which are more widely adapted and/or better producers. It is not readily utilized in the northern U.S. 'Chief intermediate wheatgrass was developed from seed originating in Russia by the Agriculture Canada Research Station in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and was released in 1961. It was selected for high seed yield and forage quality. Its intended uses are as a grass component in grass-alfalfa hay mixtures and for short-term pasture that remains productive for about five years under heavy grazing pressure. Certified