Botanical classification: Zoysia matrella. 
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Zorroxe2x80x99.
The invention relates to a new and distinct perennial zoysiagrass cultivar identified as xe2x80x98Zorro zoysiagrassxe2x80x99, referred to herein as xe2x80x98Zorroxe2x80x99. xe2x80x98Zorroxe2x80x99 is a selection from Zoysia matrella plant #124 (unpatented) from a population of 55 experimental clones that were obtained in an exchange for germplasm with the University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The inventive variety was tested as DALZ8510 and DALZ9601, has been vegetatively propagated and is uniform in growth expression.
In field plot tests evaluated over a 17-yr period at Texas AandM University, Dallas, Tex., xe2x80x98Zorroxe2x80x99 exhibited superior performance as compared to other Zoysia genotypes including commercial cultivars xe2x80x98Meyerxe2x80x99 (unpatented) and xe2x80x98Emeraldxe2x80x99 (unpatented). xe2x80x98Zorroxe2x80x99 demonstrates excellent turf quality and shade tolerance, moderate drought tolerance and good defensive traits with resistance to hunting billbug, fall armyworm, yellow patch, Rhizoctonia blight (brown patch) and zoysiagrass rust diseases. The inventive variety is an aggressively spreading Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr. that is appropriate for use in the southern United States, particularly in areas that are under either full sun or moderate to heavy shade and employ a mowing height from 1.0 to 5.0 cm. Thus, xe2x80x98Zorroxe2x80x99 is appropriate for use on sports fields, buffer surrounds for bentgrass greens, tee boxes and fairways on golf courses and residential and industrial lawns. Further, xe2x80x98Zorroxe2x80x99 has sufficient winter hardiness that is useful in open areas south of the Missouri River valley and the Appalachian Mountain Range.
For purposes of registration under the xe2x80x9cInternational Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plantsxe2x80x9d (generally known by its French acronym as the UPOV Convention) and noting Section 1612 of the Manual of Plant Examination Procedures, the new variety of zoysiagrass of the present invention is named xe2x80x98Zorro zoysiagrassxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct, asexually reproduced, variety of perennial zoysiagrass (Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr) between 1 to 3 years of age, so named xe2x80x98Zorro zoysiagrassxe2x80x99. The inventive variety is characterized by good defensive traits against hunting billbug, fall armyworm, yellow patch, Rhizoctonia blight and zoysiagrass rust diseases among other unique characteristics. These traits are maintained when propagated asexually.
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds