Menicon launches new lawnmowing-free, eco-friendly Zoysia grass “Naruoturf®” in Japan - Creation of sustainable greenery -

Menicon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: 21-19, Aoi 3, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Japan; President and COO: Koji Kawaura) announces the sale of the easy-maintenance Zoysia grass “Naruoturf®” sequentially, starting early February 2025 in Japan.

This new variety of Zoysia grass, Naruoturf® was found on the first green of the golf course at Naruo Golf Club (hereinafter Naruo GC).

Menicon has been developing, producing, and marketing materials that contribute to recycling in the agriculture and livestock industries using enzymes developed in-house, and has been committed to expanding its business while reducing environmental loads. Accordingly, we have focused on the easy-maintenance and high-density turf-forming lawn grass, enabling the development of a beautiful green landscape. We have been jointly working with Naruo GC on mass producing the lawn grass as a new product that contributes to environmental greening.

As we have succeeded in mass producing Naruoturf® and have completed preparation for the sales, we will now develop our green infrastructure business centering on the production and sales of the lawn grass.

Naruoturf® has the following characteristics:

1. The grass growth is suppressed to less than one third compared with the conventional lawn varieties, enabling management without lawnmowing.^*1
2. The leaf color is maintained with even a little fertilizer, and because little to no lawnmowing is necessary, no waste is generated.^*2
3. A large number of leaves per unit area create dense turf.

^*1Lawnmowing may be needed depending on the customer’s preference of green landscape.

^*2Waste refers to that generated from the lawn grass itself; it does not imply that any plant waste including weeds will never be generated.

The characteristic of its suppressed growth contributes to the elimination of lawnmowing and generates no waste from lawnmowing, facilitating the creation of a beautiful turf. In addition, Naruoturf® is very easily managed, environmentally friendly, and helps achieve cost reduction.

For information on the production of Naruoturf®, please check the Naruoturf® website (shown below).

Entering into the green infrastructure business will help us create new value for the global environment and address social issues by developing a sustainability policy and contributing to the development of the society.

At Menicon, we will continue to develop and propose sustainable products and services through co-creation with stakeholders, and aim to realize a sustainable society in the future.

• Naruoturf® has been created at Naruo GC and is under application for variety registration.
• Variety name: NARUO1920, export prohibited (with Public Notification by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Variety registration application No. 37016)
• Reference: https://www.menicon.com/corporate/news/view/150