Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 2.2. Zoysia (Zoysia japonica). Leaves: rolled in the bud; ligule a fringe of hairs;
collar medium, covered with long hairs; auricles absent; sheaths absent; blades short,
1-3 mm wide, sharply pointed; seed-head one weak spike with spikelets alternate on
two sides; spikelets blunt at the base, round and tapering to a point. (Drawing by
R. Castro.)
resistance to injury would make it a primary choice for sport fields that
receive lots of concentrated traffic, like football fields and grass tennis
courts, but its slow growth makes it slow to recover once it has been
injured. In the tropical zone, therefore,
Z. japonica
is often chosen for golf
courses, parks and playgrounds, and only sometimes for athletic fields.
Homeowners do not consider zoysia the best choice for residential lawns,
either. Because of its stiffness, it is not easy to mow, and mowing zoysia
with dull blades, as often happens on home lawns, rips the turf surface or
at best yields an uneven cut. An uneven, shredded cut not only looks
ugly but also creates a perfect gateway for fungal infections and future
health problems. For the best appearance, zoysia should be mowed
regularly with a very sharp mower, preferably a reel mower (see Chapter
6, this volume). Overall, if properly managed, zoysia grass is relatively
resistant to diseases. In the humid tropics it often suffers from insect
damage. Sod web-worm is its worst pest and may infest this species
several times a year. If overlooked during the time of massive invasion
