WO1999002029A1

WO1999002029A1 - Cavalier zoysiagrass plant

Info

Publication number: WO1999002029A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/014283
Authority: WO
Inventors: Milton Charles Engelke
Original assignee: Texas A&M University System; Texas A&M University
Current assignee: Texas A&M University System; Texas A&M University
Priority date: 1997-07-08
Filing date: 1998-07-08
Publication date: 1999-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 2000-01-08
Also published as: USPP10778P; JP2001509363A

Abstract

An asexually reproduced variety of perennial zoysiagrass with a unique combination of characters including an absence of leaf blade hairs, high turf quality, resistance to fall armyworm and a distinct DNA fingerprint.

Description

CAVALIER ZOYSIAGRASS PLANT

The present invention related to a new and distinct asexually reproduced variety of perennial zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella (L.)) Merr.

Brief Summary of the Invention

Background of the Invention This invention relates to a new and distinct perennial zoysiagrass cultivar identified as Cavalier zoysiagrass (herein after referred to as "Cavalier"), that was tested as EALZ8507. Cavalier was discovered in a cultivated area that received mowing and traffic on Seoul National University campus, Suwon, South Korea. It was identified as a unique turfgrass clone growing among a diverse population of common zoysiagrasses native to the area.

For purposes of registration under the "International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants" (generally known by its French acronym as the UPON Convention) and noting Section 1612 of the Manual of Plant Examining Procedure, it is proposed that the new variety of zoysiagrass of the present invention be named "Cavalier Zoysiagrass"

Brief Descriptions of the Illustrations Fig. 1 is a photograph of the leaf blade and ligule of Cavalier. Fig. 2 is a DNA fingerprint of Cavalier in contrast to Meyer zoysiagrass.

Detailed Description of the Plant Cavalier was characterized in greenhouse and field conditions. Cavalier is a unique variety of zoysiagrass (Uzoysia matrellaU (L.) Merr that was discovered under cultivated conditions described above. Cavalier was propagated by cutting a stolons and rhizomes, 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. Cavalier has been propagated by sod, plugs, springs, and stolons. Seed reproduction with self-fertility is not common in the Zovsia sp. No seedling establishment from Cavalier has been noticed in either greenhouse or field studies.

Cavalier spreads primarily by stolons. It has an intermediate to rapid growth rate, and has intermediate to low water use requirements. Cavalier produces little thatch with an optimum mowing height of 3/8" to 2.5". Cavalier will generally cover in 10-12 months growing time when plug planted with 3" x 4" plugs planted on 12" centers or by sprigs.

Cavalier has both rhizome and stolon growth. The stolons of Cavalier have a mean internode length of 16.7 mm between the fourth to the fifth node, 18.4 mm between the second and third nodes, with a mean stolon width and diameter from 1.35 to 1.14 mm (Tables 1,2). The stolons of Cavalier root adventitiously at the nodes. Color notations of plant tissues were based on the Munsell Color Charts for Plant Tissues. Munsell Color, Baltimore, MD, 1977. Light quality, photoperiod, and general growth of the plants affect color notations. The internode stolon color of Cavalier stolons exposed to full sun is 5R 3/6. Leaf blades of Cavalier are rolled in the bud, and are flat and stiff. The leaf blade length of Cavalier ranges from 58.9 to 60.7 mm and from 1.33 to 1.79 mm in width (Table 3,4,5), shorter and narrower than El Toro and Meyer. There are not any hairs on the abaxial abaxial leaf surfaces of 850. Measured under greenhouse conditions in January 1996, the genetic, adaxial leaf color of 850 is 2.5 GY 5/2 with El Toro having a leaf color of 2.5 GY 5/2, and Meyer having a color of 2.5 G 3/4. The ligule of Cavalier is a row of silky hairs, approximately 2.1 mm in length on the longest hairs. The flat leaf length of Cavalier is a mean of 2.66 when measured in a greenhouse, Dallas, TX, January 1996. Cavalier has 2.5 GY 7/4 anthers and white colored stigmas, undistinguished in shade of color. The inflorescence of Cavalier is a terminal spike-like raceme, with spikelets on short pedicels. Cavalier has a mean culm length of 4.5 cm, a floral region of 13.3 mm, with a mean of 16.3 florets per raceme.

The chromosome number of Cavalier is 40.

Cavalier rated number one in the National Turf Evaluation Program (NTEP) trials over 4-yrs as tested at 24 locations ranging from California - Georgia and north to Nebraska and Colorado. Cavalier will find its primary utility in home lawns, gold course fairways and tee boxes and in parks and recreational areas (Table 6).

This test was planted into a sited shaded with live oak treeson 1 Sept. 1992. Under tree shade with competition from trees for available moisture and nutrients, Cavalier had slightly more cover than Belaire and Meyer (Table 7). When Cavalier was compared with 59 other zoysiagrasses for salinity tolerance, it ranked number 22 in performance that was not different in injury rating for Emerald and superior to Belaire and Meyer (Table 8). When compared to other commercial varieties for root growth, Cavalier produced shorter average root depth, less root weight than Emerald, and clipping weights similar to Emerald (Table 9).

Nine zoysiagrass cultivars were tested for resistance to the fall armyworm {Spodoptera frugiperda) in laboratory tests (Table 10). Eggs of the fall armyworm (FAW) were obtained from the colony maintained at the USDA Laboratory at Tifton, GA. Larvae were developed from the eggs, and feed with zoysiagrass tissue of the cultivars, with days to pupation and adult emergence of the FAW used as indicators of FAW resistance. When neonate larvae of FAW were confined on the zoysiagrass cultivars, less than 5% of the larvae survived beyond 4 days on Cavalier, Emerald, or Belaire. Two cultivars, Palisades and 8516 were among the most susceptible with 57% and 55% survival respectively to 17 days and longer. No larvae were able to survive to 17 days on the cultivar Cavalier, indicating the resistance of Cavalier to FAW was in the form of larval mortality and an extended development period (Table 10). Cavalier is distinguished from other zoysiagrass by its fine texture, long-narrow leaf, with low rhizome, but high stolon production. It has good to excellent salt tolerance, and good shade tolerance. Cavalier is resistant to the fall armyworm and the tropical sod webworm. Cavalier is intermediate in its growth and recovery rate. Cavalier has good to excellent winter hardiness and will persist in regions north to Kansas, Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Table 1. Internode length as measured between the second and third nodes, internode diameter of the third internode, and node diameter of the third node measured on zoysiagrass plants. Plants were growing in a growth chamber with 14-hour daylength, March 1995.

Genotype Internode Internode node length diameter diameter

-mm- — mm- ~m-

Cavalier 18.4a* 1.35abc 1.35abc

El Toro 39.8a 1.45abc 1.45abc

Meyer 24.1a 1.99a 1.99a

* Analysis of variance by General Linear Models, with means followed by the same letter not significantly different using Tukey' s Studentized Range (HSD), alpha =

0.05. Only selected means presented.

Table 2. Zoysiagrass internode lengths and stolon width measurements from the fourth to the fifth nodes taken February 1988 on greenhouse grown plants.

Genotype :raode Stolon length width

-mm- -mm-

Cavalier 16.73bc* 1.14efg

Emerald 6.2 le 1.02ghi

Meyer 16.47bc 1.53b

* Analysis of variance by General Linear Models, with means followed by the same letter not significantly different using Tukey' s Studentized Range (HSD), alpha=0.05. Only selected means presented.

Table 3. Zoysiagrass leaf measurements taken February 1988 on the fourth youngest leaf from greenhouse grown plants.

Genotype Blade width Blade length -mm- -mm-

Cavalier 1.79ij* 58.87e

Emerald 2.01fgh 30.56ff

Meyer 33.3b 82.33d

*Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different using the Waller- Duncan k ratio test (k ratio=100). Only selected means presented.

Table 4. Leaf blade width and length measured on the third youngest leaf of zoysiagrasses. Plants were growing in a growth chamber with a 14-hour daylength, March 1995.

Genotype Blade width Blade length

-mm- -mm-

Cavalier 1.33d* 60.7cd

El Toro 3.26abc 68.3bcd

Meyer 2.59c 74.3bc

* Analysis of variance by General Linear Models, with means followed by the same letter not significantly different using Tukey' s Studentized Range (HSD), alpha = 0.05. Only selected means presented.

Table 5. Zoysiagrass leaf sheath length measurements taken February 1988 on the fourth youngest leaf from greenhouse grown plants.

Genotype Sheath length

-mm-

Cavalier 28.90ef*

Emerald 16.31ij

Meyer 30.68ed

Table 6. Mean turfgrass quality ratings of vegetative zoysiagrass cultivars grown in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program at 23 locations in the US for 1992, 1993, and 1994.

Overall

Variety 1992 1993 1994 1995 4-Yr Avg.

Cavalier (DALZ8507) 5.95 6.23 5.89 5.99 5.93

Marquis (TC2033) 5.85 6.10 6.11 5.96 5.91

Sunburst 5.83 5.91 5.81 5.87 5.85

TC5018 5.80 5.81 5.92 5.70 5.81

Emerald 5.74 6.21 6.05 5.73 5.79

Omni (CD 2013) 5.56 6.13 6.06 5.96 5.73

QT2004 5.63 6.01 5.86 5.57 5.63

DALZ8508 5.59 6.06 5.74 5.60 5.60

Palisades (DALZ8514) 5.82 5.82 5.46 5.44 5.59

Royal (DALZ9006) 5.65 6.05 5.59 5.54 5.59

Crowne (DALZ8512) 5.80 5.76 5.50 5.45 5.55

El Toro 5.78 5.63 5.34 5.41 5.50

CD 259-13 5.30 5.53 5.74 5.49 5.40

Meyer 5.26 5.70 5.76 5.47 5.39

QT2047 5.37 5.39 5.26 5.16 5.30

Belaire 4.99 5.58 5.61 5.02 5.16

DALZ8516 4.72 5.42 4.96 5.05 4.86

Diamond (DALZ8502) 4.40 5.03 4.58 4.36 4.41

DALZ8501 4.88 4.31 3.99 4.05 4.27

DALZ8701 4.23 4.10 3.71 3.58 3.85

LSD VALUE 0.22 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.17 To determine statistical differences among entries, subtract one entry's mean from another entry's mean. Statistical difference occurs when this value is larger than the corresponding LDS value (LSD 0.05).

In National Zoysiagrass Test - 1991. Final Report 1992-95, NTEP No. 96-15;

(Table 4); United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD 20705.

Table 7. Mean turf cover, as percentage of plot during turf, curing winter 1993- 1994 for the 1991 NTEP zoysia trial planted under 80% shade in Dallas, TX.

Percentage Turf Cover

Variety 10 Nov93 21Dec93 22 March94

Belair 40.0 43.3 21.7

Cavalier 48.3 55.0 26.7

Emerald 41.7 51.7 26.7

El Toro 35.0 31.7 21.7

Meyer 33.3 38.3 23.3

MSD ns 14.5 10.2

MSD is the minimum significant difference between entry means for comparison within column, and was based on the Duncan Waller k-ratio test (k-ratio=100). Only selected means presented.

In Morton, S.J., M.C. Engelke, and K.G. Porter. 1994. Performance of three warm-season turfgrass genera cultured in shade III. Zoysia spp. In Texas Turfgrass Research Report - 1994. PR. 5242.p27-29.

Table 8*. Average percentage shoot salt injury (average of 20 rating dates) on zoysiagrass entries in the 1991 NTEP^T Trials.

Entry Source Species_* %Injury

Diamond NTEP 20 matrella 33ab^e

El Toro NTEP 13 japonica 38a-e

Emerald NTEP 10 jap x tenu 42a-h

Cavalier NTEP 17 materlla 42a-h

Belair NTEP 11 japonica 50 f-k

Meyer NTEP 09 japonica 58 lmn

Korean Common NTEP 07^Λ japonica 76 pq

* Selected data set; complete data set includes 59 varieties and cultivars. ^rNTEP=National Turfgrass Evaluation Program. * Species identity. ^£Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different, based on the Waller- Duncan k-ratio t-test (k-ratio=100)

In Marcum, K.B., M.C. Engelke, S.J. Morton and C. Dayton. 1994. Salinity tolerances of selected bermudagrass and zoysiagrass genotypes. TX Turfgrass Res. - 1993, Consolidated Prog. Rep. PR 5140: 105-107.

Table 9. Average mean root depth of zoysiagrasses grown in flexible tubes in greenhouse studies, Dallas, TX.

Average Mean Total Root Clipping

Variety Rooth Depth Weight Weights mm — mg — — mgg—

Belaire 296 330 286

Cavalier 255 278 243

El Toro 356 473 391

Emerald 330 461 241

Meyer 333 411 466

MSD 79 161 267

*MSD = minimum significant difference for comparison of means within columns based on the Waller-Duncan k-ratio test where k=100. Only selected means presented.

In Marcum, K.B., M.C. Engelke, S.J. Morton, and R.H. White. 1995. Rooting characteristics and associated drought resistance of zoysiagrasses. Agron. J. 87:534-538.

Table 10. Resistance in zoysiagrass to 4-day old larvae of the fall armyworm; survival, weight, and development time.

7 day larva Pupa Adult Cultivars and alive wt alive wt alive

Geotypes %^l mg² %³ mg⁴ days⁵ %⁶ days⁷

Cavalier 0 0 - - 0 -

DALZ8501 14.8 34.9a⁸ 11.1 151.2ab 30.0a 11.1 40.0a

K Common 14.8 41.2ab 11.1 136.1ab 30.3a 11.1 40.7a

Belair 25.9 75.5 25.9 149.8ab 27.7ab 25.9 37.6abc

El Toro 33.3 58.7ab 26.7 171.1a 29.0a 26.7 39.0a

Emerald 37.0 52. lab 37.0 137.5ab 30.5a 37.0 40.5a

Meyer 60.0 55.4ab 53.1 148.3ab 28.9a 53.3 38.8ab

Palisades 66.7 131.6c 66.7 122.7b 25.2b 66.7 35.3bc

DALZ8516 81.5 143.9c 74.1 156.7ab 25.1b 74.1 34.7c

'Number of surviving 17-day old larvae. ²Mean larval weight taken after 17 days of feeding.

³Number surviving to pupation.

⁴Mean weight of pupa within 2 days of pupation.

'Mean number of days to pupation.

⁶Mean survival to adult. ⁷Mean number of days from egg hatch to adult emergence.

⁸Means in a column followed by the same letter are not significantly different by

Waller-Duncan k-ratio t test (k=100) (P=0.05) In Reinert, J.A., M.C. Engelke, S.J. Morton, P.S. Graff, and B.R. Wiseman. 1994. Resistance in zoysiagrass {Zoysia spp) to the fall army worm {Spodoptera frugiperda) . TX turfgrass Research- 1992. Consolidated Prog. Rep. PR 5248:39-4

EXAMPLE 1: DNA FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS

See "Caetano-Anolles, B.J. Bassam and Peter M. Gresshoff, 1991, DNA Amplification fingerprinting using very short arbitrary oligonucleotide primers. Biotechnology. Vol 9.Pp. 553-557. The zoysiagrass amplification profiles were obtained using primer of sequence

GCCCGCCC, and are compared to the standard Meyer (Figure 2). Complex banding patterns and amplification fragment length polymorphisms were obtained in all cases. Results indicate bands fall into two categories, those that are common to the species, and those that in combination are characteristic of the cultivar (some identified by dots) .

Claims

CLAIMI claim:

1. A new and distinct variety of zoysiagrass {Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.) as described and illustrated herein, having the principle distinguishing characteristics of white stigmas, and absence of leaf blade hairs, high turf quality, resistance to fall armyworm and a distinct DNA fingerprint.