PROCESSING REDUCES SEED-GERMINATION AND EMERGENCE OF JOINTED GOATGRASS

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain contaminated with jointed go atgrass (Aegilops cylindrica Host.) joints is often discounted and may be rejected by grain purchasers. Alternatively, the grain may be fed to cattle (Bos taurus L.). The objective of this research was to deter mine if feed-mill processing of jointed goatgrass joints would reduce seed germination and emergence and prevent dissemination of this troub lesome weed when fed to cattle. A roller mill and hammer mill were use d to coarse- and fine-grind the joints. Germination and emergence were reduced, but not eliminated, by processing alone. Seed f rom jointed goatgrass joints fine-ground with a hammer mill and placed in the rume n of a fistulated steer for 24 h did not germinate. The hammer mill ma y be used to reduce the risk of disseminating jointed goatgrass when t he milled jointed goatgrass-contaminated wheat is fed to cattle.