Stolon Growth and Dry Matter Partitioning Explain Differences in Zoysiagrass Establishment Rates

A barrier to widespread zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) use is its slow establishment rate. Our objectives were to quantify differences in establishment rate of zoysiagrass cultivars and genotypes as well as determine the underlying factors associated with differential growth rates. Thirty‐five genotypes of zoysiagrass were transplanted into field plots in June 2004 and 2005. Establishment rate and stolon growth of zoysiagrass genotypes were measured in the field and then four cultivars with contrasting establishment rate were used for further growth analysis in a growth chamber. Mean establishment rate [loge (coverage) d−1] and coverage (cm2) 91 d after planting (DAP) in the field were faster for Z. japonica than Z. matrella genotypes. The Z. japonica Genotype 6186 had the greatest coverage 91 DAP. ‘El Toro’, ‘Chinese Common’, and ‘Palisades’ were among the Z. japonica genotypes that produced more coverage 91 DAP than the mean (1943 cm2), while ‘Meyer’ produced less coverage than the mean. ‘Zorro’ was among the fastest establishing Z. matrella genotypes, and ‘Diamond’ was the slowest. Growth analysis indicated El Toro and Zorro, which establish faster than Meyer and Diamond, partition more dry matter to stolons and rhizomes than leaves. This is consistent with field data where El Toro and Zorro have greater total stolon length than Meyer and Diamond. Zoysiagrass genotypes that partition more dry matter to stems instead of leaves establish the quickest.