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Show Letters to the editor Claim premature? Editor: I am writing to express my concern for an article appearing in the Feb. 19 edition of your paper concerning revegetation of the proposed MX deployment sites in Utah and Nevada. The article states that researchers have discovered a plant (name not mentioned) that can "outcompete" halogeton. The proponent of this plant is probably referring to Kochia prostrata, an introduced shrub acknowledged to be adapted to arid conditions. However to the best of my knowledge there is no research in the salt desert shrub type to indicate that this plant will survive in that habitat or outcompete halogeton. Neither are there "exotic hybrid" . grasses presently available that are adapted to these areas. Discussions with knowledgable scientists actively engaged in the revegetation of arid sites causes me to conclude that these statements are, at best, premature and can be more accurately assessed as inaccurate and misleading. The objective, is, of course, to develop or find adapted species and methodologies that will reduce, eliminate or prevent the establishment of halogeton which is highly toxic to sheep and cattle and presently occupies extensive areas of our west deserts. . This toxic annual weed is native to dry saline soils of the deserts of nor thwestern China and southwestern Siberia, and is an aggressive invader of the desert and sagebrush ranges of the intermountain area. It was inadvertently inad-vertently introduced into the U.S. about 1930, and thrives on soils where native plant cover is thin or low in vigor. Dense stands are found, among other places, along highway shoulders and road cuts, and MX deployment will provide thousands of miles of this prime halogeton habitat. It should also be noted that halogeton can alter the physical and chemical properties of the soil favoring the germination of less desirable plants, especially the seeds of halogeton. It has also been found that attempted control of halogeton by mechanical means or chemical sprays is expensive and in many cases has increased the stand rather than decrease it. If desirable plant species, capable of preventing or eliminating halogeton, and the technology is available for such purposes why have these areas not been rehabilitated before now? There have been unsuccessful attempts to rehabilitate these rangelands and eliminate this weed for nearly 40 years. It should be emphasized that these deserts are extremely fragile, unsuitable un-suitable for rehabilitation and major disturbances will require decades or longer for the native vegetation to recover. James E.Bowns Range Ecologist Cedar City |