Analysis of the Main Types of Lawn Pests, Diseases, and Weeds in China and the Current Status of Pesticide Registration

Lawns serve multiple functions, including beautifying the environment, absorbing toxic and harmful gases, preventing soil erosion, and reducing noise, and have been utilized by humans for over a thousand years. With the development of China’s economy and the continuous improvement of living standards, the area of lawns in the country has steadily expanded. Lawns in China are broadly categorized into two main types: sports turf and landscape‑greening turf. At present, the level of lawn maintenance and management in China remains relatively low, leading to severe outbreaks of diseases, pests, and weeds that result in substantial economic losses. This paper systematically reviews and summarizes registration information on lawn‑use pesticides approved and currently valid as of April 10, 2024, providing a detailed analysis of the number of products, active ingredients, target pests and diseases, formulation types, and manufacturing enterprises for fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators. It also identifies several existing issues, with the aim of supporting the development of China’s lawn‑use pesticide industry and facilitating its registration process.

1. Major Types of Lawn Pests, Diseases, and Weeds in China

Common types of turfgrass are categorized into landscape‑type lawns and sports turf. Sports turf is managed more intensively and typically comprises a single species, making it more susceptible to diseases, pests, and weed infestations. The major lawn diseases are classified as fungal or bacterial; fungal diseases include summer patch ( Magnaporthe spp. ), leaf spot disease ( Clarireedia spp. ), Brown spot disease ( Rhizoctonia sp. ), Anthrax ( Colletotrichum spp. ), spring dead spot disease ( Ophiosphaerella spp. )、Pythium blight ( Pythium spp. )、 Ring spot disease, powdery mildew ( Blumeria graminis ), rust disease ( Puccinia spp. ), total blight ( Gaeumannomyces graminis )、Fusarium wilt ( Fusarium spp. ), red thread disease ( Laetisaria fuciformis ) and others; bacterial diseases are primarily represented by bacterial wilt. Based on the part of the plant they damage, pests are classified as underground or aboveground. Underground pests mainly include grubs, mole crickets, and wireworms, which feed primarily on turfgrass roots. Aboveground pests are further divided according to their feeding habits into sap-sucking insects and leaf-eating insects. Sap-sucking pests include aphids, thrips, leafhoppers, and planthoppers; these insects typically pierce and suck plant sap while also transmitting viruses. Leaf-eating pests comprise the sod webworm, beet armyworm, armyworm, beet armyworm, fall armyworm, and various grasshoppers; they feed on turfgrass leaves, preventing photosynthesis and ultimately leading to plant death. In addition, underground pests also encompass ants, termites, red imported fire ants, and earthworms. Although these organisms do not directly consume turfgrass, their activities can disrupt the soil environment essential for turfgrass growth, hindering normal development. Turfgrass is often invaded by a diverse array of weeds, which compete with turfgrass for nutrients, water, and growing space. Moreover, weed root systems release allelopathic compounds that inhibit turfgrass growth and facilitate rapid weed colonization. Weeds are categorized by morphology into grassy weeds, broadleaf weeds, and sedge weeds. Common grassy weeds include crabgrass ( Digitaria sanguinalis ), crabgrass ( Eleusine indica ), crabgrass ( Setaria viridis )、barnyardgrass ( Echinochloa crusgalli ), Bermuda grass ( Brachiaria eruciformis ), barnyardgrass ( Eragrostis pilosa ), white cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica )、Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa annua ), Semen Pharbitidis ( Leptochloa chinensis ) etc.; broadleaf weeds include pennywort ( Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides ), Inula flower ( Inula japonica ), dandelion( Taraxacum mongolicum ), ground ivy ( Euphorbia humifusa ), dayflower ( Commelina communis ), Water bamboo leaf ( Murdannia triquetra ), wood sorrel ( Oxalis corniculata ), Three-Point Gold ( Desmodium triflorum ) etc.; the main weeds of the Cyperaceae family include Cyperus rotundus ( Cyperus rotundus ), water pennywort ( Kyllinga brevifolia ), Cyperus difformis ( Cyperus difformis ), Cyperus esculentus ( Cyperus escculentus ) etc.

2 Current Status of Pesticide Registration for Turfgrass in China

2.1 Registration Overview

As of April 10, 2024, the pesticide types registered for turfgrass fall into five major categories: insecticides, fungicides, nematicides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators. A total of 140 pesticide registration certificates are currently valid for use on turfgrass. In terms of the number of registrations, fungicides account for the largest share, with 81 valid certificates, representing 57.86% of all turfgrass‑related registrations; herbicides comprise 33 certificates, or 23.57%; insecticides total 20 certificates, or 14.28%; nematicides have 1 certificate, or 0.71%; and plant growth regulators amount to 5 certificates, or 3.57%.

From the perspective of the number of registered active ingredients, a total of 60 active ingredients are registered for turfgrass use: 28 fungicide active ingredients, accounting for 46.67% of the total; 16 insecticide active ingredients, representing 26.67%; 12 herbicide active ingredients, making up 20.00%; 1 nematicide active ingredient, or 1.67%; and 3 plant growth regulator active ingredients, comprising 5.00%.

From the perspective of the toxicity of registered products, acute toxicity tests classify pesticides into five categories: highly toxic, highly toxic, moderately toxic, slightly toxic, and practically non‑toxic. Among the products registered for use on turfgrass, the categories are slightly toxic, practically non‑toxic, and moderately toxic. There are 123 slightly toxic products, accounting for 87.85% of the total number of registrations; 11 are practically non‑toxic, representing 7.86%; and 6 are moderately toxic, making up 4.29%.

An analysis of the registered pesticide formulations reveals that, on lawns, there are 13 distinct formulation types: 43 suspension concentrates, accounting for 29.29% of all registrations; 35 water-dispersible granules, representing 25.00%; 14 emulsifiable concentrates, or 10.00%; 10 granular formulations, or 7.14%; 9 soluble solutions, or 6.43%; and 5 each of suspoemulsions, emulsion‑in‑water, aqueous solutions, and wettable powders, each comprising 3.57%. Additionally, there are 4 dispersible oil suspensions, or 2.86%; 3 microemulsions, or 2.14%; and one each of microcapsule suspensions and soluble powders, each accounting for 0.71%.

2.2 Analysis of the Current Registration Status  

2.2.1 Biocides  

A total of 81 fungicide products are registered for turfgrass use, comprising 42 single‑ingredient formulations and 39 mixtures. Among the active ingredients, 28 are represented; the top 10 in terms of registration numbers are azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, propiconazole, tebuconazole, metalaxyl‑M, prochloraz, difenoconazole, oxymethylfenozide, chlorothalonil, and trifloxystrobin (see Table 1). With the exception of chlorothalonil, all of these 10 active ingredients belong to the systemic class. Products containing any of these top 10 active ingredients account for 70 registrations, or 86.42% of the total number of turfgrass fungicides. In contrast, products formulated with mancozeb, iprodione, fluopyram, boscalid, kasugamycin, thifluzamide, and other ingredients are relatively few, totaling 11 registrations, or 13.58% of the overall market.

Table 1: Top 10 Active Ingredients Registered for Turfgrass Fungicides

A total of 38 active‑ingredient combinations are registered for turfgrass fungicides. Among these, the top 10 products by number—azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, oxyma‑tebuconazole, propiconazole‑azoxystrobin, propiconazole, benzo‑azoxystrobin, prothioconazole‑azoxystrobin, prothioconazole‑oxyma, benzo‑propiconazole, and chlorothalonil—account for 50 formulations, or 61.73% of all registered fungicide products (see Table 2). The primary target diseases for turfgrass fungicides are brown patch, dollar spot, Pythium blight, and Fusarium wilt; applications are typically recommended at the onset of disease, with foliar sprays and broadcast applications being the predominant methods. The registered formulations encompass 11 types: suspension concentrates, water‑dispersible granules, emulsifiable concentrates, soluble solutions, granules, suspension‑emulsion concentrates, oil‑in‑water emulsions, aqueous solutions, wettable powders, microemulsions, and soluble powders. Suspension concentrates predominate, with 30 products representing 37.04% of all registered fungicides, followed by water‑dispersible granules, which account for 21 products (25.93%). In terms of toxicity, 78 products are classified as low‑toxicity or slightly toxic, comprising 96.30% of the total, while three products are moderately toxic, making up 3.70%.

Table 2: Top 10 Registered Fungicides for Turfgrass

2.2.2 Insecticides

A total of 20 insecticide products are registered for turfgrass use, comprising 14 single‑ingredient formulations and 6 mixtures. There are 16 active ingredients; the top six in terms of registration numbers are emamectin benzoate, imidacloprid, chlorantraniliprole, thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos, and clothianidin (see Table 3). Products containing these six active ingredients account for 13 registrations, or 65.00% of all turfgrass insecticides. By contrast, products containing abamectin, metaldehyde, diazinon, trichlorfon, Beauveria bassiana, lambda‑cyhalothrin, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Bacillus thuringiensis, and other ingredients are fewer in number, totaling 7 registrations, or 35.00% of all turfgrass insecticides.

Table 3: Top 10 Active Ingredients Registered for Turfgrass Pesticides

A total of 17 active‑ingredient combinations are registered for turfgrass use. Among these, imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole rank first and second in terms of product numbers: imidacloprid is represented by three products, accounting for 15.00% of all insecticide registrations, while chlorantraniliprole has two products, representing 10.00%. The remaining ingredients each have only one registered product (see Table 4). Turfgrass insecticides are primarily registered for control of grubs, mole crickets, beet armyworms, cutworms, snails, and stem borers, with application methods mainly including foliar spray, broadcast application, and soil‑drenching. The registered formulations encompass nine types: suspension concentrates, granules, dispersible oil suspensions, emulsifiable concentrates, microcapsule suspensions, water‑in‑oil emulsions, water‑dispersible granules, emulsifiable oils, and soluble concentrates. Suspension concentrates and granules dominate, with six suspension concentrate products—30.00% of the total—and six granule products—also 30.00%. Dispersible oil suspensions follow, with two products, accounting for 10.00%. From a toxicity perspective, 17 products are classified as low‑toxicity or slightly toxic, representing 85.00%, while three products are moderately toxic, making up 15.00%.

Table 4: Top 10 Products Registered for Use on Turfgrass Insecticides

2.2.3 Herbicides

A total of 33 herbicide products are registered for turfgrass use, including 30 single‑ingredient formulations and 3 formulated mixtures. Among the active ingredients, 12 are represented; the top 10 in terms of registration numbers are pyriminobac‑methyl, mesotrione, fluroxypyr, quizalofop‑p‑ethyl, ametryn, aminopyralid, dichlorprop‑p, dicamba, MCPA‑sodium, and trifloxysulfuron (see Table 5). Of these, products containing any one of five active ingredients—pyriminobac‑methyl, mesotrione, fluroxypyr, quizalofop‑p‑ethyl, or ametryn—total 28, accounting for 84.85% of all turfgrass herbicides. By contrast, products containing MCPA‑sodium, aminopyralid, dichlorprop‑p, dicamba, or trifloxysulfuron are fewer in number, totaling 5, or 15.15% of the overall portfolio.

Table 5: Top 10 Active Ingredients Registered for Turfgrass Herbicides

There are 11 active‑ingredient combinations used in lawn herbicides. The top five products by number of formulations are pyrazosulfuron‑ethyl, mesotrione, isooctyl chlorofluoropyroxypyr, quizalofop‑p‑ethyl, and trifluralin. These five account for 26 formulations, or 78.79% of all registered lawn herbicide products (see Table 6). Lawn herbicides are primarily registered for controlling annual grassy weeds, annual broadleaf weeds, and other weed species. The registered formulation types include water‑dispersible granules, suspensions, emulsifiable concentrates, dispersible oil suspensions, soluble concentrates, wettable powders, emulsions, and suspension‑emulsions—eight categories in total. Water‑dispersible granules are the most common, with 12 products representing 36.36% of all lawn herbicide registrations; suspensions rank second, with 7 products accounting for 21.21%; and emulsifiable concentrates occupy third place, with 6 products comprising 18.18%. From a toxicity standpoint, all registered lawn herbicides are classified as low‑toxicity or slightly toxic.

Table 6: Top 5 Herbicide Products Registered for Turfgrass Applications

2.2.4 Growth Regulators

A total of five registration certificates have been issued for lawn-use plant growth regulators, all of which are single‑ingredient formulations. The active ingredients comprise three compounds: uniconazole, paclobutrazol, and chlormequat chloride; among these, paclobutrazol is currently the most widely and maturely applied product on the market. All products are classified as low‑toxicity, and their mode of application is foliar spray. Paclobutrazol, uniconazole, and chlormequat chloride are all gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitors that control excessive vegetative growth by reducing gibberellin levels. These three active ingredients are now employed in turfgrass management to suppress vertical growth and thereby reduce the frequency of mowing during the growing season.

2.3 Manufacturing Enterprises

A total of 80 manufacturers are registered to market lawn‑care pesticides. The top seven companies by number of registrations are Syngenta Crop Protection Co., Ltd. (Switzerland), Sichuan Run’er Technology Co., Ltd., Zhuozhou Bio‑Weiyi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Xinxiang Lai’en Ping’an Landscape Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou Zhengshi Chemical Products Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Mingde Lida Crop Science Co., Ltd., and Jiangsu Sulley Chemical Co., Ltd. In terms of the types of products registered, Syngenta Crop Protection Co., Ltd. (Switzerland), Zhuozhou Bio‑Weiyi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and Zhengzhou Zhengshi Chemical Products Co., Ltd. have all registered insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators—demonstrating a well‑balanced product portfolio.

Table 7: Top 7 Manufacturers of Turf-Use Pesticides

3. Issues in the Registration of Pesticides for Turfgrass in China  

3.1 The number of pesticide registration certificates for turfgrass is limited, and the range of target pests and diseases is narrow.  

According to reports, as of November 2022, China had registered 184 pesticide products for use on cowpeas; by September 2023, the number of registered pesticides for sugarcane had risen to 474. As of April 10, 2024, there were a total of 140 registered pesticide products for turfgrass, a relatively small number compared with other crops. While the registration pool for turfgrass fungicides is comparatively robust, the approved target diseases are limited to five: dollar spot, brown patch, Pythium blight, Fusarium wilt, and leaf spot. Common turfgrass ailments such as spring dead spot, powdery mildew, rust, and summer patch lack corresponding registered products. Herbicide registrations cover broad weed‑control spectra without specific targeting of particular weed species. Insecticide registrations are restricted to seven pests—white grubs, cutworms, root‑knot nematodes, stem borers, snails, beet armyworms, and armyworms—leaving no registered options for sap‑sucking pests on foliage, such as aphids, leafhoppers, and thrips. Among plant growth regulators, all five registered products serve to inhibit turfgrass growth, with no formulations available to promote it.

3.2 For turfgrass, the proportion of formulated products with high similarity in registered active ingredients is relatively low.

Pesticide registrations for turfgrass exhibit a high degree of similarity in active ingredients: among the 33 registered herbicide products, 11 contain pyrimisulfuron and 6 contain mesotrione, together accounting for more than 50% of the total. Pyrimisulfuron is approved for warm-season turf but is not suitable for cool-season turf; mesotrione, on the other hand, is authorized for cool-season turf but poses risks to warm-season grasses, further limiting the available herbicide options. Of the 81 registered fungicide products, 69—over 85%—are based on five active ingredients: azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, propiconazole, tebuconazole, and metalaxyl‑M. Among these, azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin share the same mode of action, while propiconazole and tebuconazole have identical modes of action. Repeated use of agents with the same mechanism of action can readily lead to resistance, reducing their efficacy. Moreover, most registered products are single‑active‑ingredient formulations, accounting for 65.71%, whereas combination products remain relatively scarce, with no ternary mixtures currently available. In contrast, abroad, ternary formulations for turfgrass are more common; such combinations broaden the spectrum of control, allow for reduced application rates of individual ingredients, and help delay the development of resistance.

4 Summary

Pesticide use on lawns falls within the non‑agricultural pesticide sector, and in recent years an increasing number of companies have begun to establish a presence in this field. The number of registered lawn‑care pesticides in China has been steadily rising. Prior to 2008, no lawn‑specific pesticides were registered; after 2008, as the pesticide registration system became more standardized, some manufacturers started developing products tailored for turf and gradually filed them with the Ministry of Agriculture. The formulations currently approved for lawn pesticides are notably innovative and environmentally friendly. New eco‑friendly formats—such as suspension concentrates, water‑dispersible granules, soluble concentrates, granules, oil‑in‑water suspensions, emulsifiable concentrates, microcapsule suspensions, and microemulsions—account for over 85% of registered products, while traditional emulsifiable concentrates and wettable powders comprise only about 13.5%. Suspension concentrates and water‑dispersible granules are the two dominant formulation types for lawn applications. Suspension concentrates are further divided into water‑based and oil‑based formulations: water‑based suspensions use water as the solvent, whereas oil‑based suspensions employ oils such as corn oil, rapeseed oil, or synthetic oils. These formulations reduce reliance on organic solvents, enhance active‑ingredient utilization, exhibit low volatility, facilitate transportation, and are environmentally benign. Water‑dispersible granules, also known as dry suspensions, can achieve active‑ingredient contents exceeding 70%, thereby lowering application rates per unit area; moreover, they contain no organic solvents, making them another environmentally friendly option. As China’s pesticide formulation technologies continue to advance, the share of these new, eco‑friendly formulations is expected to grow further. Although the current range of registered lawn‑care products is relatively environmentally sound, their active‑ingredient profiles are highly similar, the number of multi‑component formulations remains limited, and their spectrum of target pests is narrow, leaving many lawn‑associated harmful organisms unaddressed. This situation may be closely tied to the development of China’s turf industry: despite expanding lawn‑area coverage, investment in maintenance remains insufficient, with a tendency to prioritize planting over ongoing care—a pattern that reflects inadequate “three parts planting, seven parts nurturing.” At the same time, the added value generated by the domestic turf sector is comparatively modest, market capacity is limited, and large agrochemical firms have shown reluctance to invest heavily in pesticide registration. With continued economic growth, China’s turf‑industry market is likely to expand significantly. As this happens, more companies will enter the arena of lawn‑care pesticide registration, fostering the further development of the country’s lawn‑pesticide sector.

Source: China National Knowledge Infrastructure