Zoysiagrass Expansion on Roadsides

North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) currently has to maintain vegetation under and around over 1000 miles of median rail, with approximately $40 million spent in fiscal year 2019 for mowing. Zoysiagrasses are known to be a thick sod-producing turfgrass that once adequately established are low-growing and have minimal weed invasion. Establishing zoysiagrass along non-irrigated roadside shoulders has proven problematic. Research project 2018-02 evaluated, in a small plot format, several establishment options. Seeding and vegetative establishment employing newly created mechanical methodologies were evaluated. In addition, from the NCSU 2017-2018 breeding nursery containing 95 F1 hybrid Zoysiagrasses, 5 experimental (non-released) vegetative zoysiagrass selections were evaluated under roadside conditions. A narrow-bladed selection (XZ14069) and wide-bladed selection (XZ14070) are showing promise for roadside applications. Findings from this research need to be expanded to ‘operational-sized’ roadside plots for further evaluation. Additionally, new breeding materials need to be evaluated and advanced for their ability to establish from seed. The outcome of this research will provide NCDOT with information so that they can select the best germplasm for the establishment and long-term maintenance of NC roadsides.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Programmed
• Funding: $334926
• Contract Numbers:

  FHWA/NC/2021-01

• Sponsor Organizations:

  North Carolina Department of Transportation

  Research and Development
  1549 Mail Service Center
  Raleigh, NC  United States  27699-1549
• Managing Organizations:

  North Carolina Department of Transportation

  Research and Development
  1549 Mail Service Center
  Raleigh, NC  United States  27699-1549
• Project Managers:

  Kirby, John

• Performing Organizations:

  North Carolina State University, Raleigh

  Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
  Box 7625
  Raleigh, NC  United States  27695
• Principal Investigators:

  Milla-Lewis, Susana

• Start Date: 20210101
• Expected Completion Date: 20231231
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Grasses; Highway maintenance; Medians; Roadside flora; Vegetation control
• Identifier Terms: North Carolina Department of Transportation
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01762562
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: North Carolina Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: FHWA/NC/2021-01
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 26 2021 7:54AM