A three-year study was conducted in the Chihuahuan Desert in Southwestern New Mexico to evaluate the effectiveness of revegetating a dryland pasture that was heavily infested with yellow starthistle within the context of the successional weed management model. A prescribed burn treatment of the entire study site (designed disturbance) was followed by single-entry revegetation (controlled colonization) and weed suppression (controlled species performance) treatments. Four native perennial grass species were paired with 4 yellow starthistle suppression treatments. We conclude that an integrated, single-entry approach failed to effectively revegetate yellow starthistle-infested dryland pasture in the Chihuahuan Desert, primarily due to a historic severe drought that occurred soon after grasses were seeded. Different strategies and tactics will be required to manage yellow starthistle in the Southwestern USA than have been previously applied in other areas. 1. Introduction Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) is an exotic annual forb that was introduced into California in the mid-1800’s and has since become widely distributed across the Western USA [1–3]. Legally designated as a noxious weed in 12 western states, yellow starthistle is a major problem in California where it has infested up to 22 million acres or about 22% of the state’s surface area [4]. In addition to expanding rapidly in the Pacific Northwest states, yellow starthistle has invaded several areas in Arizona and New Mexico, including Grant County in Southwestern New Mexico where approximately 500 acres have been invaded [5]. The greatest concerns about yellow starthistle are its invasive characteristics and economical and ecological impacts [6]. On range and pasture lands, yellow starthistle infestations have formed tall dense stands that reduced forage production [7] and displaced native plants [8, 9]. Factors contributing to its success as an invasive weed include ability to germinate during the spring, summer, and fall, a spiny seedhead in the reproductive phase, high seed production, and the development of a deep taproot. As an annual plant, yellow starthistle depends exclusively on seed production for population survival and spread. On average, seed production ranges from about 35 to over 80 achenes per seedhead [10], and a single large plant can produce over 100,000 seeds [2, 11]. Thus, effective yellow starthistle management requires suppression of seed production, combined with the establishment of competitive, desirable vegetation [12]. Although research projects have
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