Nitrogen (N) is essential for nutrition and for the maintenance of the intense green color of lawns. However, this element affects shoot growth and, therefore, mowing frequency, which is a key factor of lawn-maintenance costs. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the use of nitrogen fertilization in combination with the use of potential herbicides as growth regulators to promote the maintenance of the high visual (intense green) and nutritional quality of lawns of emerald Zoysia (Zoysia japonica Steud.) grown in Ultisol soil while reducing their leaf growth. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching, Research and Extension Education Farm (Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão) of São Paulo State University (Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, UNESP), Ilha Solteira Campus/ São Paulo (SP), from June/2012 to June/2013. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks with 20 treatments established in a 5 x 4 factorial arrangement with four replicates, including four herbicides (glyphosate, imazaquin, imazethapyr, and metsulfuron-methyl, applied at doses of 200, 420, 80, and 140 g ha -1 active ingredient (a.i.), respectively) and a control (without herbicide), and four N doses (0, 5, 10, and 20 g m -2 ), split into five applications delivered throughout the year. The following items were evaluated: length, LCI (leaf chlorophyll index), leaf dry matter production and leaf N concentration and the percentage of phytotoxicity on lawn grass shoots. Doses from 10 to 20 g m -2 N provided sufficient N concentrations to maintain the emerald Zoysia. The herbicides metsulfuron-methyl and glyphosate were superior in the control of lawn leaf growth. While the former was phytotoxic, the latter had no effect on the aesthetic quality of the lawn, standing out as an herbicide that may be used at a dose of 200 g ha -1 to regulate the growth of emerald Zoysia. fator do custo de manutenção em gramados. Neste contexto, objetivou-se avaliar a adubação nitrogenada e o uso potencial de herbicidas como reguladores de crescimento em grama esmeralda (Zoysia japonica Steud.), em Argissolo Vermelho, visando manter o gramado com boa qualidade visual (verde intenso) e nutricional bem como reduzir o seu crescimento foliar. O experimento foi conduzido na Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão da UNESP, Campus de Ilha Solteira/SP, de junho/2012 a junho/2013. Utilizou-se o delineamento em blocos casualizados com 20 tratamentos dispostos num fatorial 5 x 4 com quatro repetições, sendo quatro herbicidas: glyphosate, imazaquin, imazethapyr e metsulfuronmethyl aplicados na dose de, respectivamente, 200, 420, 80 e 140 g ha -1 do ingrediente ativo (i.a.) e a testemunha -sem herbicida; e quatro doses de N: 0, 5, 10 e 20 g m -2 , parceladas em cinco aplicações durante o ano. Avaliaram-se: o comprimento, o índice ICF (índice de clorofila foliar) e a produção de matéria seca das folhas, determinaram-se também a concentração foliar de N e a porcentagem de fitointoxicação da parte aérea do gramado. Doses de 10 a 20 g m ...