Improving the Cold Tolerance, Pest Resistance, and Overall Quality of Zoysiagrass
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2019-06-19
By COLE THOMPSON, Assistant Director, Green Section Research
Genetics ultimately determine how well grasses tolerate the stresses of golf as well as the most suitable playing surfaces and geographic regions for use. At times, management strategies may compensate for genetic shortcomings. For example, many cool-season grasses have excellent quality at very low cutting heights but require frequent irrigation and pesticide applications to mitigate damage from heat, drought or pests. Alternatively, some warm-season grasses tolerate drought and potential pests better than cool-season grasses, but may not provide the desired aesthetics or have the cold tolerance necessary to excel in colder regions. These compromises can make turfgrass selection challenging, especially in regions with diverse environmental conditions.