ex Link) Dorn) is a plant species in the family Poaceae which was originally from Russian and Siberian steppes until it was introduced to the United States from there between 1907 and 1913.

[2] Currently it can still be found in Central and Western United States, except for Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Washington.

[4] A study was performed to test the specific cattle grazing preferences for different types of crested wheatgrass.

[4] This particular species of wheatgrass is resilient to temperate climate changes, especially through the varying rainfall that occurs in the Great Basin of North America.

[5] During the growing season of Agropyron desertorum there is rapid rainfall in the Great Basin, and it has been found that this plant species can positively respond to this temporary increase in water.

[6] Agropyron desertorum plants with these conditions can be selected for and grown within drier areas, to allow for better crop production of this crested wheatgrass.

For Agropyron desertorum, however, the genetic diversity in the modern cultivars is still similar to the wild progenitors, as seen by the mean percentage of polymorphic loci and mean expected heterozygosity.