Effect of nitrogen application and clipping height on the vegetative growth of Korean lawn grass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) and Manilagrass (Zoysia mat rella (L.) MERR.) during September/October

질소시용 및 예초고가 한국 잔디(Zoysia japonica Steud.) 및 금잔디(Zoysia matrella MERR.)의 생육후기 영양생장에 미치는 영향

The experiment with two levels of nitrogen (0. and 300kg / ha / year) and two levels of clipping height (1.5cm and 4cm) was conducted on the field during the period 3 June to 23 October 1985. Clonal lines of korean lawngrass ( Zoysia japonica Steud.) and manilagrass ( Zoysia matrella ( L.) Merr.)of Daejon origin were established in June, as individual clone in rows 30cm apart with a 40cm spacing between clones, actually 4 clones each plot. The results obtained were as follows : 1. When no nitrogen was applied to korean lawngrass, leaf blade which appeared during the August / early September period remained green for a period of about 10 weeks and even leaves emerged in late September lived for 42 days. However, leaf longevity did not exceed 8 weeks as nitrogen was applied. In contrast the leaf longevity of manilagrass which emerged during the mid - August / early September period was 11 weeks and, under the nitrogen applied, 9 weeks, indicating that the life - saen of individual leaf of manilagrass may be longer than that of korean lawngrass. Meanwhile, clipping height had no effect on the leaf longevity in both grasses. 2. During the July / August period, tiller number, green leaf number and DM weight of korean lawngrass were increased significantly with fertilizer nitrogen, but were not with two levels of clipping height. This trend was reversed after late September : no effect of nitrogen was appeared. Instead, lax clipping increased tiller number, green leaf number and DM weight. Green leaves stimulated by lax clipping resulted in the occurrance of more dead leaves in late October. 3. The increase of tiller number, green leaf number, and DM weight of korean lawngrass due to nitrogen application appeared to be of significance in early September. Unlike korean lawngrass, however, this significant increase was maintained to late October when new green leaves still emerge. Clipping height had little effect on the growth of manilagrass by early September, but since then, lax clipping stimulated leaf appearance, possibly resulting in a remained green color of manilagrass turf. 4. Among the stolons outgrown until early September, the primary stolon was not influenced by nitrogen and clipping treatments to produce only 2 - 3 stolons. However, 1st branch stolon as affected by nitrogen increased significantly, so most of stolons which occurred consisted of 1st branch stolon. 5. Until early September, stolon length obtained at nil nitrogen level was chiefly caused by lengthening the primary stolons. By applying nitrogen the primary stolons of korean lawngrass was longer than 1st branch stolons when severe clipping was involved and in turn, shorter than 1st branch stolons when lax clipping was concerned. In manilagrass, 1st branch stolons were much longer than the primary stolons when turf was clipped severely but in conditions of lax clipping, there was little difference in length between primary and 1st branch stolons. 6. Stolon nodes of both korean lawngrass and manilagrass were positively influenced by nitrogen, but no particular increases by imposing clipping height treatment was marked in manilagrass. Although the stolon of korean lawngrass was grown until late october, the growth stimulated by nitrogen was not so remarkable as to exceed that a by nil N. 7. The thickness of korean lawngrass and manilagrass was greatest in late September, but that of manilagrass did not differ significantly from that in late October. 8. The response of stolon length of korean lawngrass to lax clippings was not so great in late October as to that to severe clippings. On the other hand, the positive effect of lax clippings to stolon length in m anilagrass was confirmed even in late October.