Blog
Nov 28

Visualizing Soil Water Repellency

One of the most common problems that turf managers must deal with is the development of soil water repellency. The development of water repellent soils is a naturally occurring phenomenon that can wreak havoc on a golf course or playing field.

Water repellent (or hydrophobic) soils prevent the proper penetration and/or distribution of water through the soil profile, often leading to patchy or uneven turfgrass growth and a host of other problems.

In addition to damaging the health and appearance of turfgrass, hydrophobic soils can also prevent applied chemical inputs from getting where they are needed most, inflating costs for turf managers.

The picture below shows the effect that an Aquatrols wetting agent can have on a hydrophobic sandy soil. Note how the treated sample allows water drops to penetrate quickly and evenly, while the untreated sample shows water remaining on the surface.

Water Repellency on a Golf Course

The video below demonstrates the wild effects that water repellency can have on a golf course. In this case, water repellency at the surface prevents water from penetrating the soil profile properly. If untreated, this situation can lead to massive waste lost to run-off and create an unhealthy imbalance of air, soil, and moisture in the root zone.

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Aquatrols

About The Author

More than 60 years ago, Aquatrols introduced the world’s first commercially available soil wetting agent. Since creating an entirely new product category to address water management challenges and opportunities, the company has remained a top innovator and producer of high-performance soil surfactants and related technologies. Aquatrols’ advanced product suite optimizes soil-water-plant interactions in agricultural, professional turfgrass, and horticultural industries in more than 40 countries. Headquartered in southern New Jersey, Aquatrols also has offices in the United Kingdom and conducts business on six continents.