Zoysiagrass (Zoysia Spp.) History, Utilization, and Improvement in the United States: a Review
Published August 16, 2017 RESEARCH Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) History, Utilization, and Improvement in the United States: A Review Aaron J. Patton,* Brian M. Schwartz, and Kevin E. Kenworthy A.J. Patton, Dep. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue ABSTRACT Univ., 625 Agriculture Mall Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907; B.M. Since its introduction into the United States in Schwartz, Dep. of Crop & Soil Sciences, Univ. of Georgia, 2360 1892, zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp. Willd.) has made Rainwater Rd., Tifton, GA 31793; K.E. Kenworthy, Dep. of Agronomy, a tremendous impact on the US turfgrass indus- Univ. of Florida, PO Box 110500, Gainesville, FL 32611. Received 3 try. Three species of zoysiagrass [Z. japonica Feb. 2017. Accepted 17 May 2017. *Corresponding author (ajpatton@ Steud., Z. matrella (L.) Merr., and Z. pacifica purdue.edu). Assigned to Associate Editor Jack Fry. (Goudswaard) M. Hotta & S. Kuroki] collected Abbreviations: ET, evapotranspiration; FAW, fall armyworm; from East Asia and the Pacific Islands were FAES, Florida Agriculture Experiment Station; GRIN, Germplasm introduced into the United States and are used Resources Information Network; NDF, neutral detergent fiber; directly as turf or by turfgrass breeders in the NIFA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture; SCRI, Specialty development of advanced lines. Golf courses, Crop Research Initiative; TSW, tropical sod webworm; USGA, lawns, grounds, sod farms, athletic fields, road- United States Golf Association. sides, and airports are some of the many loca- tions where zoysiagrass is used. While almost oysiagrass (Zoysia1 spp. Willd.2) is an introduced, perennial, 50 improved cultivars of zoysiagrass have been Zsod-forming species in the United States that is well adapted developed to date, active efforts to improve for use as a turf in the transitional and warm climatic regions and zoysiagrass further and expand its utilization requires minimal maintenance inputs.
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