Liquid assets

Somewhat remarkably, the number of wetting agent products on the market has increased during the past 35 years from four or five to more than 130.

There are several reasons for the explosive increase. But a primary igniter for this amazing burst of product is the increased expectations of golfers who now consider smooth, fast greens and pristine fairways to be a given. This, of course, has meant closer mowing heights and more intensive management to maintain the new standards, while at the time ensuring turfgrass health.

“There is little doubt that wetting agents are more popular or used more today than ever before,” says Dr. Keith Karnok, a professor specializing in turf management at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He estimates a whopping 90 percent of superintendents use wetting agents as an integral part of their management program.

“Currently, wetting agents are the best tool or management practice for managing localized dry spots caused by water-repellent soils,” he says.

Depending on the situation, wetting agents can help improve fertilizer and pesticide efficacy, Karnok says. “Certainly, we have shown through research, wetting agents applied to a water-repellent rootzone can improve irrigation efficiency significantly,” he says. “We now have some evidence that wetting agents applied to non-water-repellent soils will improve irrigation efficiency.”

Traditionally, superintendents have employed wetting agents during hot, dry conditions, says Andy Moore, agricultural marketing manager for Aquatrols. In recent years, with the advent of new, unique chemistry, turf managers are realizing specific wetting agents can help them balance water and air in the rootzone in wet and dry conditions.

“More people are beginning to use our products for overall water management rather than just curing dry spots,” Moore says. “We also see more people using our Dispatch technology because it can save them money on water and energy costs, as well as make all their soil-directed inputs (fertilizers and chemicals) more efficient.”

Soil surfactants contribute to healthier, more resilient turf that withstands stresses and maintains quality. They can also contribute to significant water and energy savings during the irrigation season. All this leads to enhanced playability of the course, which should bring in greater revenues, Moore says.

“Not that I am saying by using our products all problems are solved. However, managing water effectively and efficiently can have a big impact on the bottom line. Water is at the foundation of all other agronomic practices. If water is being used effectively it can impact turf health, which impacts the turf’s response to stress and the need for other inputs. ”

Chuck Champion, president of KALO, says university research over the years has confirmed the value of soil sufficants.

“Next to labor costs, the purchase of city water and utility costs for pump stations represent the highest budget expense for most golf courses. Pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water on a course over a few days is not unusual for large courses during summer months,” Champion says. “Wetting agent applications can pay for themselves in water and utility cost reductions.” He says quantifying that savings is subjective.

“There are many claims about water savings but realistically 5 percent to 15 percent less water used to maintain equal turf quality should be possible with wetting agent use,” he says.

Bert Brace, vice-president/formulator for AQUA-AID USA, says superintendents are better understanding how each product works and are adjusting chemistries as conditions, expectations and budgets demand.

“Presently, superintendents have three modes of action for wetting agent/surfactant chemistries to choose from in today’s market and four ways to apply the chemistries,” Brace says. “The three modes of action for surfactants are hydrating, penetrating and corrective. The four different ways to apply surfactants include tank spraying, injection, granular and hand watering pellets.”

David Dore-Smith, superintendent at Copperleaf Golf Course in Bonita Springs, Fla., says soil sufficants helped him get through some potentially devastating weather in recent years.

“We have experienced two of the worst droughts over the past two years in this region and are now entering a third,” he says. “The use of wetting agents has allowed me to prevent turf damage and continue to provide quality conditions for both our members and reciprocal players during these trying conditions.”

Wetting agents have proven to be invaluable in providing consistent conditions,” he says. “Hotspots are greatly reduced, thus eliminating over watering, playability is improved due to improved ball roll, labor is reduced due to not needing to chase after ‘hot spots’ and overall turf quality is ‘superior.’” Tim Schaefer, superintendent at Emerald Falls Golf Club in Broken Arrow, Okla., has used wetting agents in the past few years and the results have been promising.

“We have several different types of soil on our property, so a wetting agent is needed in some areas more than others,” he says. “The best result we saw was water penetrating into the areas where we applied it instead of running to the valleys and further saturating them.”

Dave Libby, superintendent at Prouts Neck Country Club in Scarborough, Maine, believes there is significant value in using soil sufficants. The first benefit, he says, is water savings. He has been able to extend his interval between irrigation cycles dramatically. Given normal rainfall he may irrigate fairways three times a month now as opposed to three times a week in the past. He also sees a more uniform turf performance and fewer localized dry spots. And, he has found that fertilizer and fungicide inputs decreased because turf wasn’t suffering from inconsistent moisture stresses.

When David Phipps, superintendent at Stone Creek Golf Club in Oregon City, Ore., started using wetting agents on the fairways there was a dramatic difference from the previous year. The first and foremost difference was the uniformity in which the turf appeared during the stressful times of the summer. “There were far fewer dry areas,” he says. “It also seemed we were far more effective with water.”

Scott Pavalko, superintendent at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont Ill., has used wetting agents, most recently spraying Dispatch, an Aquatrols product, 16 ounces per acre every two weeks with his normal preventative fungicide rotation.

“What I like best is that it is safe to tank mix, spray in the morning and water in at night. We had chronic LDS problems on fairways,” he says. “We are also a public facility with very early tee times, which makes it very difficult to spray and water in a wetting agent immediately. Using wetting agents has made our overnight watering more effective.”

Some wetting agents can be applied all year, depending on where a course is located and the local climate. The main use period is throughout the growing season, whatever that might be in a locale. Some products are used on an as-needed basis. The volume used depends on the product.

Karnok says wetting agents can be applied anytime throughout the year.

“It depends on the objective. If the objective is to affect drainage or water movement in the root zone, wetting agents can be applied anytime,” he says. “For the control of localized dry spots caused by water-repellent soil, they are often applied in early spring and through the summer and into the fall. However, depending on the severity of water-repellency, region of the country, type of rootzone, turfgrass species and weather conditions, there may be advantages to using wetting agents throughout the year. The rate in which a wetting agent is applied, depends on the specific product. Recommended rates range from four ounces to 16 ounces per 1,000 square feet. Superintendents should always follow label directions.”

Despite the apparent panacea soil sufficants offer in these days of extremely variable weather conditions and enhanced expectations for pristine playing conditions at all times, the use of soil sufficants is not without some potential drawbacks, or at least concerns.

“The biggest drawback is cost,” says Schaefer. “I would love to apply wetting agents in our fairways from June until September but can’t afford to. We have to pick and choose when and where we want to apply them.”

Libby says long-term products can have some drawbacks in rainy years.

“The 90-day products aren’t really all that special from a chemistry standpoint. Their longevity is derived from the high rate at which they are applied and their resistance to downward mobility in the soil profile. This means that if you apply 16 ounces of a product in the spring and end up having a really wet year, the turf can become soft and soggy.”

Moore advises that superintendents ask for proof about what is being claimed by each wetting agent product before using.

“Many states do not regulate the sale of soil wetting agents, a lot of stuff is put into containers and claims are placed on the label. This leads to confusion for the turf manager. Don’t take anyone’s information on face value. Ask questions and make sure you know what you are using.”

Karnok says identifying the “best” wetting agent is virtually impossible, since every wetting agent cannot be tested under all the varying conditions one would find in the field. Also, new products are being released constantly. The degree of potential phytotoxicity is a major concern. Some wetting agents should be watered into the soil and off turfgrass leaves as soon as possible after application, whereas irrigation can be delayed with some products.

Brace says more and more superintendents will be using surfactants as the demand for water increases and water quality decreases.

However, new chemistry for wetting agents is slow to develop as raw material suppliers are conservative about investing in development costs for new basic chemicals, says Champion.

“The size of the market is limited and there are too many products chasing too few customers these days, so product technology has remained much the same in recent years.”

It is clear that wetting agents will likely become an ever more important tool in a superintendent’s arsenal to insure superior playing conditions in the coming years.

John Torsiello is a Torrington, Conn.-based freelance writer and frequent GCI contributor.