Zoysiagrass plant named ‘SFZ1901’

Abstract

A new and distinct variety of Zoysia Willd. plant named SFZ1901 with a unique combination of characteristics including short leaf blade length, slow aboveground parts and stolon elongation rate, longer maintenance of greenness in winter, and management-savings.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Zoysia Willd. plant named SFZ1901, substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

(2) FIG. 1 compares the spread of the aboveground parts of SFZ1901, Himeno, Meyer (not patented) and Emerald (not patented) (sparse planting zone and close planting zone). Plant ages of each of the four varieties were 13 months old. Photographing date: Jul. 21, 2021. Photographing site: Test field in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan.

(3) FIG. 2 compares the leaf blade length and the vigor of early stage of SFZ1901, Himeno, Meyer and Emerald. Plant ages of each of the four varieties were 12 months old. Photographing date: Jun. 14, 2021. Photographing site: Test field in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan.

(4) FIG. 3 compares the time of coloring (in autumn) of SFZ1901, Himeno, Meyer and Emerald. Plant ages of each of the four varieties were 18 months old. Photographing date: Dec. 21, 2021. Photographing site: Test field in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan.

COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

(5) The following is a detailed description of the new Zoysia Willd. grass variety known as SFZ1901, based upon observations of the plant grown in pots and fields.

(6) SFZ1901 is a perennial, vegetatively propagated Zoysia grass, and is believed to be a unique variety of Zoysia Willd. due to its morphological properties. The mother plant of SFZ1901 was the Zoysia japonica cultivar Asagake (Japanese Plant Variety Registration No. 10487), and the father plant was the wild strain of Zoysia matrella (which had been stored for a long time in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan, precise origin unknown). SFZ1901 was obtained from the crossbreeding between Asagake and the above-identified wild strain of Zoysia matrella.

(7) The inventor vegetatively propagated SFZ1901 by cutting of stolons, and discovered that SFZ1901 is a new and distinct variety compared to Himeno, Meyer and Emerald (all of which are the morphologically and physiologically similar varieties to SFZ1901). Compared to other Zoysia grass varieties, SFZ1901 is characterized by its unique combination of characteristics, including shorter leaf blade length, slower aboveground parts and stolon elongation rate, longer maintenance of greenness in winter, and more management-savings.

(8) SFZ1901 was propagated by cutting of stolons under greenhouse and field conditions in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan, rooting them in soil, and planting of the rooted material to provide planting stock for studying performance and for comparison of morphological characters after propagation. Asexually reproduced plants of SFZ1901 have remained stable and true to type through successive generations of propagation. No seedling establishment from SFZ1901 has been noticed in either greenhouse or field studies.

(9) SFZ1901 is a perennial Zoysia grass that spreads by both stolons and rhizomes. Characteristics of SFZ1901 measured in 2021 were taken from plants that were approximately 1 to 2 years in age. Both the greenhouse and the test field are located in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9A). The annual minimum temperature in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan is 3.0 degree Celsius (which corresponds to the average minimum temperature in January in Miyazaki-city), and the annual maximum temperature in Miyazaki-city is 31.6 degree Celsius (which corresponds to the average maximum temperature in August in Miyazaki-city).

(10) The inventor carried out the comparison study of traits between SFZ1901 and Himeno (which is the most morphologically and physiologically similar variety to SFZ1901) in the test field in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan, from April 2020 to March 2022. The results of the comparison study are shown in Table 2 below:

(11) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparison with a similar variety Himeno (Japanese Plant Variety Registration No. 9209, ZOYSIAN JAPAN CO., LTD.) Name of Characteristics of Characteristics of similar the similar variety the present variety variety Name of trait (Himeno) (SFZ1901) Himeno Leaf blade length Medium (56.5 mm) Short (37.0 mm) Himeno Vigor of early High Poor stage Himeno Regrowth vigor Medium Very poor Himeno Time of greening Slightly late Very early (March 18) (February 27) Himeno Time of coloring Medium Very late (in autumn) (December 25) (January 7) * The results were confirmed in the test field in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan.

(12) As shown in Table 2, the leaf blade length of SFZ1901 (37.0 mm) was significantly shorter than that of Himeno (56.5 mm), and the vigor of early stage of SFZ1901 was poorer than that of Himeno (see also FIGS. 1 and 2).

(13) In addition, the time of greening of SFZ1901 (February 27) was significantly earlier than that of Himeno (March 18), and the time of coloring (in autumn) of SFZ1901 (January 7) was extremely later than that of Himeno (December 25) (see also FIG. 3). Thus, it can be concluded that SFZ1901 has better winter survival ability than Himeno.

(14) When compared to the other two similar varieties, Meyer and Emerald, the leaf blade length of SFZ1901 (37.0 mm) was also significantly shorter than those of Meyer (60.8 mm) and Emerald (44.2 mm), and the vigor of early stage of SFZ1901 was poorer than those of Meyer and Emerald (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

(15) Furthermore, the time of greening of SFZ1901 (February 27) was earlier than those of Meyer (March 10) and Emerald (March 6), and the time of coloring (in autumn) of SFZ1901 (January 7) was significantly later than that of Meyer (December 13) (see also FIG. 3).

(16) It is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2 provided herein that SFZ1901 in the test field grew at a slower rate than Himeno, Meyer and Emerald. The relatively poorer vigor of early stage of SFZ1901 than those of Himeno, Meyer and Emerald, as described above, was due to its slow aboveground parts and stolon elongation rate.

(17) The above results confirm the distinctness of SFZ1901 from the other major varieties of Zoysia grass.

(18) As described herein above, since SFZ1901 has short leaf blade length (37.0 mm) as well as slow aboveground parts and stolon elongation rate, if this variety is used for greening of park, garden or rooftop, or used as home lawn, both frequency and labor of lawn mowing can be reduced, and thus management savings can be achieved.

(19) In addition, as the time of greening of SFZ1901 is relatively early (February 27) and the time of coloring is relatively late (January 7), SFZ1901 can maintain its greenness for a long time even in winter, so that this variety can maintain its aesthetics relatively longer than other Zoysia grass varieties.

(20) Therefore, SFZ1901 is considered to be a management-savings type of Zoysia grass, and is promising as a suitable and ideal Zoysia grass for greening of park, garden or rooftop, and also as home lawn.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

(21) The following is a detailed botanical description of the new variety of Zoysia grass SFZ1901, based upon observations of 1 to 2 years old specimens grown in Miyazaki-city, Miyazaki-prefecture, Japan, with color notations based on The R.H.S. Color Chart 2015. 1. Plant: Growth habit.Semi-upright. Vigor of early stage.Poor. Height.10.0 cm; Himeno: 16.3 cm; Meyer: 17.3 cm; Emerald: 10.4 cm. Width.105.5 cm; Himeno: 288.7 cm; Meyer: 267.6 cm; Emerald: 261.4 cm. Density.49.5 cm/100 cm.sup.2; Himeno: 52.3 cm/100 cm.sup.2; Meyer: 62.4 cm/100 cm.sup.2; Emerald: 61.8 cm/100 cm.sup.2. 2. Stolon: Anthocyanin coloration of leaf sheath.Medium; Himeno: strong; Meyer: medium; Emerald: weak. Length of leaf sheath.19.2 mm; Himeno: 22.6 mm; Meyer: 23.9 mm; Emerald: 28.5 mm Density of hairiness on leaf sheath.Sparse; Himeno: sparse; Meyer: sparse; Emerald: sparse. Internode length.17.9 cm; Himeno: 42.2 cm; Meyer: 33.8 cm; Emerald: 36.0 cm. Width of internode.1.1 mm; Himeno: 2.0 mm; Meyer: 1.8 mm; Emerald: 1.4 mm. Stolon color.60B (color code based on The R.H.S. Color Chart); Himeno: 59A; Meyer: 60A; Emerald: 60A. 3. Culm: Culm length.42.2 mm; Meyer: 108.6 mm; Emerald: 62.1 mm. Culm width.0.5 mm; Meyer: 0.7 mm; Emerald: 0.7 mm. 4. Leaf: Leaf blade length.37.0 mm; Himeno: 56.5 mm; Meyer: 60.8 mm; Emerald: 44.2 mm. Leaf blade width.2.8 mm; Himeno: 4.2 mm; Meyer: 3.6 mm; Emerald: 1.9 mm. Leaf blade intensity of green color.138A (color code based on The R.H.S. Color Chart); Himeno: 137B; Meyer: 137B; Emerald: 137C. Leaf blade density of hairs on upper side.Very sparse; Himeno: medium; Meyer: medium; Emerald: medium. Leaf blade density of hairs on lower side.Very sparse; Himeno: very sparse; Meyer: very sparse; Emerald: very sparse. Leaf blade margin.Smooth; Himeno: smooth; Meyer: smooth; Emerald: smooth. Leaf sheath density of hairs.Sparse; Himeno: sparse; Meyer: sparse; Emerald: sparse. Shape of ligule.Fringe of hairs; Himeno: fringe of hairs; Meyer: membranous; Emerald: fringe of hairs. 5. Flag leaf: Flag leaf length.9.1 cm; Meyer: 16.6 cm; Emerald: 9.3 cm. Flag leaf width.0.7 cm; Meyer: 1.6 cm; Emerald: 0.9 cm. 6. Inflorescence: Inflorescence length.21.8 mm; Meyer: 28.7 mm; Emerald: 17.4 mm. Inflorescence width.0.8 mm; Meyer: 1.5 mm; Emerald: 1.0 mm. Color of spikelets.60A (color code based on The R.H.S. Color Chart); Meyer: 59A; Emerald: 59A. Length of spikelets.3.1 mm; Meyer: 3.2 mm; Emerald: 3.1 mm. Width of spikelets.0.9 mm; Meyer: 1.1 mm; Emerald: 0.9 mm. Number of spikelets.13.7; Meyer: 34.8; Emerald: 19.7. 7. Others: Time of greening.February 27; Himeno: March 18; Meyer: March 10; Emerald: March 6. Time of flowering (in spring).March 19; Meyer: March 5; Emerald: March 17. Time of coloring of leaves (in autumn).January 7; Himeno: December 25; Meyer: December 13; Emerald: January 9. Intensity of anthocyanin coloration (in autumn).Slightly weak; Himeno: very weak; Meyer: weak; Emerald: very weak.