Patent Grant
PP36261
Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: The present invention relates to the genus and species Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.
Variety denomination: ‘BRG-2’.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct asexually reproduced variety of perennial zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella (L.)) Merr.
This invention relates to a new and distinct perennial zoysiagrass cultivar identified as ‘BRG-2’ zoysiagrass (herein referred to as ‘BRG-2’). The inventors, David L. Doguet and Virginia G. Lehman, discovered ‘BRG-2’ under cultivated conditions near Poteet, TX in an area planted with ‘Zeon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,166) zoysiagrass. ‘BRG-2’ was identified as a distinctly different vegetative patch or clonal plant differing from the surrounding plants in leaf texture. Tillers of ‘BRG-2’ were dug and transplanted to research plots for further evaluation and comparison to other plants. In research plots in Poteet, TX, in comparison to other zoysiagrass plants, ‘BRG-2’ showed the finest leaf texture with soft foliage when compared to other plants. The inventors asexually reproduced ‘BRG-2’ by taking vegetative cuttings of stolons and rhizomes, cutting the rhizomes and stolons into segments, each with a vegetative bud, and rooting them in potting media. ‘BRG-2’ zoysiagrass will be used as a turfgrass suitable for home lawns, sports fields, and golf courses.
For purposes of registration under the “International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants” (generally known by its French acronym as the UPOV Convention) and noting Section 1612 of the Manual of Plant Examining Procedure, it is proposed that the title of the invention is Zoysingrass plant named ‘BRG-2’.
‘BRG-2’ was characterized in greenhouse and field conditions. ‘BRG-2’ is a unique variety of zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella (L.)) Merr. that was discovered under cultivated conditions in a planting of ‘Zeon’ zoysiagrass. The inventors, David L. Doguet and Virginia G. Lehman, discovered ‘BRG-2’ near Poteet, TX in 2015. In 2015, vegetative rooted tillers of ‘BRG-2’ were collected from a vegetative plant or clone in a ‘Zeon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,166) sod field that was under mowing. The tillers were placed in research plots with other plants for observation and increase. ‘BRG-2’ was identified as a distinctly different vegetative patch or clonal plant differing from variety ‘Zeon’ and other surrounding plants by having fine leaf texture. The plants were located in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b. The inventors asexually reproduced ‘BRG-2’ in both Poteet, TX and Amarillo, TX by taking vegetative cuttings of stolons and rhizomes, cutting the rhizomes and stolons into segments, each with a vegetative bud, and rooting them in potting media. Planting of the rooted material provided planting stock for studying performance and for comparison of morphological characters after propagation. ‘BRG-2’ has been propagated by rhizomes, stolons, tillers, and sod. Asexually reproduced plants of ‘BRG-2’ have remained stable and true to type through successive generations of propagation. In 2020, a vegetative increase from the clonal plot of ‘BRG-2’ was made to a field plot of 1000 square feet to become the breeder stock of ‘BRG-2’.
‘BRG-2’ is a perennial zoysiagrass that spreads by both stolons and rhizomes. Characteristics of ‘BRG-2’ measured in 2023 and 2024 were taken from plants that were approximately 12 months in age. The greenhouse was located near Amarillo, TX, with a nighttime low temperature of 67 degrees F., and daytime high of 80 degrees F. The plants were grown with a minimum 14-hour day length, supplemented with photosynthetically active radiation equivalent to approximately 75% sunlight. The plants were fertilized with the equivalent of 1 pound of actual N per month, using a soluble fertilizer of 20-20-20 in two equal soluble applications per month.
When evaluated for 86 days in Amarillo, TX under greenhouse conditions in potting soil, ‘BRG-2’ had a mean maximum leaf extension of 6.7 cm versus 10.3 cm for ‘Zeon (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,166) or 35% less (Table 1). In a separate trial with low oxygen hydroponic root culture instead of soil media, ‘BRG-2’ had a mean maximum leaf extension of 5.7 cm versus 6.8 cm for ‘Zeon’ (Table 2). When grown under low-oxygen hydroponic culture versus growth under soil rooting media, ‘BRG-2’ maintained 85% of leaf extension growth compared to ‘M-85’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,289) at 67%, ‘LIFS’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 35,643) at 76%, and ‘Zeon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,166) at 66%. Growth under low oxygen soil (hydroponic) conditions may suggest improved performance in turfgrass use where hypoxic soils exist. In field trials in Poteet, TX prior to a killing freeze below 28 degrees F. on 10 Jan. 2024, ‘BRG-2’ showed color retention under short daylengths associated with November to December 2023 calendar dates not different from ‘Lazer’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,805) (Table 3). After a freeze below 28 degrees F. on 10 Jan. 2024, ‘BRG-2’ performed similar to ‘Lazer’ in green color loss. In non-replicated trials during 2023, ‘BRG-2’ showed a ball speed roll of 9.8 feet with ‘M-85’ showing a speed of 8.2, slower than ‘BRG-2’. In replicated trials in Soperton, GA during 2021, ‘BRG-2’ showed slightly less spread than ‘M-85’, with a rating of 6.7 (rated 1-9, 9=most spread), and ‘M-85’ rating a 7.0 (Table 4).
‘BRG-2’ has an absence of leaf hairs versus ‘Palisades’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,515), ‘Zorro’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,130), ‘Crowne’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,570), and ‘Cavalier’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,778) which each have many leaf surface hairs (Table 5). ‘BRG-2’ has shown a desirable very fine leaf texture under mowing. In observations, ‘BRG-2’showed an internode length of 1.0 cm between the 3rd and 4th youngest leaf. ‘BRG-2’ has shown little tendency to form tillers in thatch that tend towards puffiness in canopy growth in cultivars such as ‘Emerald’ (unpatented) that subsequently require dethatching maintenance. ‘BRG-2’ has a leaf blade color from R.H.S. Colour Chart of 137B green, with ‘Zeon’ showing 137B green in greenhouse trials.
‘BRG-2’ has not shown susceptibility to the zoysiagrass mite when tested at Poteet, TX, where susceptible varieties have shown the coachwhip leaf symptoms of the mite. In plantings in Poteet, TX, ‘BRG-2’ showed mild susceptibility to warm season brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani). ‘BRG-2’ has shown good turfgrass performance and temperature adaptation when tested at Soperton, GA, USDA hardiness zone 8b and at Poteet, TX, USDA hardiness zone 9a. This would suggest adaptation as far north as the southern edge of Atlanta, GA, USDA hardiness zone 8a, that would extend the area of adaptation for ‘BRG-2’ in a line from central Georgia across central Alabama, extending through central Texas in an East/West line and on a North/South line from Norfolk, VA, south through Mexico. ‘BRG-2’ will be limited only by winter survival in colder regions. ‘BRG-2’ is similar to most fine textured zoysiagrasses in water use demands as shown in test situations near Poteet, TX, and will be limited by adequate precipitation in drier to arid regions. ‘BRG-2’ is adapted from sandy to heavier loam soil textures and from slightly acid to slightly alkaline soil pH.
&‘Lazer’ is ‘DALZ 1308’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,805
&‘Trinity’ is ‘L1F’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,203
&‘L1FS’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 35,643; ‘L1F’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,203; ‘Palisades’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,515; ‘Zorro’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,130; ‘Diamond’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,636; ‘Royal’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,395; ‘Crowne’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,570; ‘Cavalier’ is U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,778
Color notations for floral and vegetative characters are based on The R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2001. Light quality, photoperiod, and general growth of the plants may affect color notations.
