Species Origin and Diversity • Native to the Pacific Rim – Japan – Korea – China – Taiwan The Case for Zoysiagrass – India Cultivars, Cultivation, and Pests – Philippines – Australia J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D. – New Zealand University of Florida ‐ IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center Species Origin and Diversity Species Origin and Diversity • Native to the Pacific Rim • Zoysia japonica • Z. macrantha – Japan • Z. macrostachya – Korea • Z. matrella • – China Z. minima • Z. pacifica – Taiwan • Z. pauciflora – India • Z. planifolia • Z. seslerioides – Philippines • Z. sinica – Australia • Z. tenuifolia – New Zealand Japanese Lawngrass Japanese Lawngrass Zoysia japonica Steud. Zoysia japonica Steud. 5 6 1 Zoysiagrass Bermudagrass Bermudagrass 7 8 Strengths and Uses Strengths and Uses • Adapted to a variety of soil types • Some cultivars have shade tolerance • Drought response • Heat tolerant • Low water use requirement • Low fertility requirement • Wear tolerant • Salt tolerant Strengths and Uses Strengths and Uses • …and others do not • Great amount of genetic variation for: – Color – Leaf texture – Fall dormancy – Winter hardiness – Spring green‐up – Leaf orientation – Establishment rate 2 Strengths and Uses Weaknesses • Home lawns • Variable drought response • Tees • Variable cold hardiness • Fairways – Fine textured species • Roughs • Slow Spring green‐up • Approaches • Slow establishment • Collars • Slow recovery from injury • Bunker Faces Weaknesses Weaknesses • Shredded leaf tips • Helminthosporium • Develop ridges with mowing patterns – Bipolaris • Can become thatchy • Large patch – Scalping – Rhizoctonia – Mower will “walk” • Dollar spot – Sclerotinia • Dog spot ‘Meyer’ USDA –USGA (1951) • “Z‐52” or “Amazoy” • Most cold‐hardy zoysiagrass • Deep green color • Medium leaf texture • Slow to establish from plugs • Very dense once established • Less shade tolerance • Potentially susceptible to infestation from hunting billbugs, mole crickets, and nematodes 3 ‘El Toro’ ‘JaMur’ University of California (1986) Bladerunner Farms (1996) • “Toro” • “Jack Murray” • Good winter color • Adapted to a wide range of soil conditions • Early spring green‐up • Coarse leaf texture • Quick establishment • Fast recuperative potential for zoysiagrass • Fast recuperative potential for zoysiagrass • Less dense and less thatch • Medium to coarse leaf texture • Fair shade tolerance • Does well in high pH soils • Dense Canopy • Lower water use requirement • Good shade, wear, and drought tolerance ‘Palisades’ ‘Crowne’ Texas A&M University (1997) Texas A&M University (1997) • Very good shade tolerance • Utility turfgrass • Medium broad textured leaf • Coarse leaf texture • High density • Drought tolerant • Vigorous recuperative ability • Low water use requirement • Good winter hardiness • Cold hardiness • Lower water use requirement • Rapid recuperative ability ‘Empire’ ‘UltimateFlora’ Sod Solutions (1999) University of Florida (2005) • Blue‐green leaf color • “Ultimate” • Excellent spring green‐up • Fast establishment • Coarse leaf texture • Medium leaf texture • Slow vertical growth • Upright leaf orientation • Open growth habit • Very dense • Tolerance of rotary mowers • Good drought tolerance • Reduced maintenance turfgrass 4 JaMur Palisades ‘Emerald’ Georgia AES –USGA (1955) • Deep green color • Widely adapted • Fine leaf texture – Good winter hardiness • Good shade tolerance • Good density • Without time and effort for maintenance: – Develop thatch – Susceptible to dollar spot and large patch Empire UltimateFlora ‘Zeon’ Bladerunner Farms (1996) • Deep green color • Few insect and disease problems • Medium to fine leaf texture • Upright leaf orientation • Less thatch • Medium shade tolerance • Good drought tolerance Emerald Zoysiagrass ‘Diamond’ ‘Zorro’ Texas A&M University (1997) Texas A&M University (2002) • Fine to dwarf leaf texture • Fine leaf texture – Slow recuperative potential – Rapid recuperative ability • Very dense • Excellent shade and salt tolerance • Excellent shade and salt tolerance • • Excellent color retention Adapted to the transition zone • Excellent sod strength – Good winter hardiness • Good resistance to the tawny mole cricket, fall • Good resistance to the rust, yellow patch, brown armyworm, and brown patch patch, billbugs, and fall armyworm • Use in areas with poor water quality • Low fertility requirement 5 Zeon Diamond ‘PristineFlora’ University of Florida (2005) • “Pristine” • Deep green color • Fine to dwarf leaf texture – Fast establishment • Very dense – Need thatch management program Cavalier PristineFlora Nutrient Management • Frequent light applications are best – Prevents thatch accumulation – Enhances spring greenup – Prevents disease – Improves wear tolerance – Improves playability • Do Not promote excessive green color – Encourages thatch – Slows spring greenup – Promotes disease development • Early Spring fertilization – Late frost can damage and delay greenup Zoysiagrass Nutrient and Cultural – Promote large patch development Management Practices Nutrient Management • Late Fall fertilization – Delay spring greenup – Promote large patch development Pensacola Tallahassee Jacksonville Gainesville JAN 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 • Enhancing Spring Greenup FEB 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 – MAR 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.05 Apply fertilizer after the turf has become fully green and actively APR 0.11 0.10 0.13 0.12 growing. MAY 0.27 0.26 0.28 0.26 – Apply iron JUN 0.41 0.41 0.40 0.38 JUL 0.45 0.45 0.44 0.42 AUG 0.44 0.44 0.43 0.41 • Potassium SEP 0.37 0.38 0.37 0.35 – Apply at rates equal to nitrogen OCT 0.15 0.14 0.18 0.16 – Improves stress tolerance NOV 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.06 DEC 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.3 6 Nitrogen Rate Study‐ Nitrate‐N Leaching from Empire 50 40 1 lb N 30 4 lb N 20 7 lb N 10 lb N 10 0 NO3-ha-1) (kg N Leached 1 C1 C3 C1 C3 F F F F 3 r 1 FC r Y Yr2 Yr2 Yr3 Y Nitrogen applied as 100% soluble urea Trenholm et al. 2009 37 Mowing Zoysiagrass • Proper mowing – Enhances plant growth and development – Never remove more than 1/3 of top growth – Stimulates lateral growth (tillers and stolons) • Cut too close result in scalping or removal of growing point • Cut too infrequent result in scalping as the growing point may be too high. 39 Mowing Zoysiagrass • Reel and Rotary mowers • Broad range: 0.25 to 2.5 inches – Includes all cultivars • Cultivar and Species Specific – Zoysia matrella (fine textured) • 0.5 to 1.5 inches • Exceptions: Diamond, Pristine, Cashmere – 0.25 inch – Zoysia japonica (coarse textured) Scalping – removing the • 1 to 2.5 inches growing point 7 Thatch and Zoysiagrass Thatch and Zoysiagrass • Zoysiagrass spreads through the production of • Management lateral stems (rhizomes and stolons). – Zoysiagrass in full sun = thatch • Lateral stems are resistant to decay • Don’t fertilize for excess color • Frequent light applications of nitrogen • Easily result in excess thatch – decomposition rates = growth rates – Associated with too much lateral stem production. – Home lawns • Influenced by: • De‐thatch (power rake) or scalp each spring – Nitrogen management – Timing Grass is actively growing – Mowing off of more than 1/3 » Turf will recover with minimum weed encroachment of shoot growth Shade and Zoysiagrass Thatch and Zoysiagrass Cultivar and Species Specific • Management • Zoysia matrella • Zoysia japonica – Golf Courses – Good to excellent shade – Poor to Very good • Aggressive vertical mowing 1 to 2 times per year tolerance • Palisades Very Good • Diamond excellent • Jamur Very Good • Replacement of one normal mowing per week with light vertical • Cavalier Very good • El Toro Fair mowing • Emerald Good • Crowne Fair • Use of groomers in combination with reel mowers • Royal Good • Empire Poor • Zorro Good • Meyer Poor • Zeon ? • Ultimate ? • Pristine ? • Cashmere ? 90% Shade Shade and Zoysiagrass • Management Cavalier, Zorro, Emerald – Zeon, PristineFlora, Geo Nitrogen Fertility • Increases elongation of leaves – Excess growth depletes carbohydrates and weakens root system. • Limit nitrogen to maintain acceptable color – Divert Traffic Empire, UltimateFlora, JaMur El Toro, Palisades – Increase mowing heights • Accounts for elongated leaves • ↑ leaf area available for photosynthesis 8 Irrigation/Drought Response and Zoysiagrass • Zoysiagrass will persist through long‐term drought. – Wilts Quickly – Enters Dormancy (avoid) – Texas A&M research • 60 day drought – 7 zoysiagrass cultivars < 1.5% green – Floratam St. Augustinegrass – 20% green – Tifway bermudagrass – 50% green – Celebration bermudagrass – 71% green Zoysiagrass June 23, 2009 Empire Empire Ultimate 9.0 Ultimate 8.0 JaMur 7.0 El Toro 9=Best) 6.0 9; Cavalier ‐ 5.0 (1 4.0 Palisades 3.0 Zorro Quality 2.0 Emerald Turf 1.0 Zeon 0.0 Pristine 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 JaMur El Toro Cavalier Palisades Zorro 9 Zoysiagrass Zoysiagrass June 23, 2009 Empire 9.0 Ultimate Emerald Zeon Pristine 8.0 JaMur 7.0 El Toro 9=Best) 6.0 9; Cavalier ‐ 5.0 (1 4.0 Palisades 3.0 Zorro 2 Days Quality 4 Days 6 Days 2.0 Emerald Turf 1.0 Zeon 0.0 Pristine 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 9 Days 12 Days 15 Days Irrigation Uniformity – ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL Herbicides for Zoysiagrass • Preemergence • Preemergence – Oxadiazon – Ronstar – Oryzalin + benefin –XL2G – Benefin – Balan – Pendimethalin – Pendulum – Benefin + trifluralin –Team 2G – S‐metachlor – Pennant – Bensulide – Betasan – Prodiamine – Barricade – DCPA – Dacthal – Isoxaben – Gallery – Dithiopyr –Dimension – Atrazine – Oryzalin –Surflan – Prodiamine + sulfentrazone – Echelon – Dimethenamid ‐ Tower 10 Herbicides