Adaptive soil surfactant strategies for managing extreme weather conditions

With global climate patterns shifting, extreme weather conditions are becoming increasingly common. In the United Kingdom and Europe, winters are projected to become warmer and wetter, while summers are trending hotter and drier.

These fluctuations in temperature and moisture present significant challenges for turfgrass managers responsible for golf courses, sports fields and lawns. Efficient management tools are now more essential than ever - and among the most effective of these tools are soil surfactants.

Soil surfactants enhance the performance of irrigation and rainfall by improving how water moves through or is retained in the soil. These products are formulated with various chemistries, each designed to address specific soil and climate conditions. Non-ionic surfactants are among the most commonly used, due to their low phytotoxicity, longevity in the soil and highly effective moisture management properties.

Understanding surfactant chemistry

Within the non-ionic category, several distinct chemistries are employed in turf management:

• Straight block copolymers
• Reverse block copolymers
• Methyl-capped block copolymers
• Alkyl polyglucosides (APGs)
• Multi-branched block copolymers

Commercially available products can contain one or more of these different chemistries, products specifically designed to assist with different agronomic situations. They don’t all behave in the same way. Each of these surfactant chemistries influences soil moisture differently - either by improving water retention, enhancing infiltration and movement, or achieving a combination of both.

Understanding what chemistries are in specific products, and how these modes of action differ, allows turf professionals to select the most appropriate surfactant to build a seasonally adaptive, results-driven soil surfactant programme.

When soils are saturated

Periods of prolonged rainfall can saturate soils, causing physiological and structural issues that negatively affect turf health, playability and management efficiency. In these situations, the goal shifts from retaining water to improving water infiltration and drainage.

It’s a common misconception that surfactants are only useful for water retention. In fact, field research shows that straight block copolymers are highly effective at enhancing water movement through the soil profile. These surfactants can reduce waterlogging by increasing the soil’s infiltration capacity. When applied regularly - such as monthly during wet seasons - they can help prevent prolonged saturation and improve playing surface performance.

In heavier rainfall events, however, straight block copolymers alone may not provide sufficient infiltration improvements. Here, combining them with alkyl polyglucoside-based surfactants can deliver a synergistic effect, significantly accelerating surface drainage and upper rootzone drying. Even at low application rates, alkyl polyglucosides improve rapid infiltration and penetration. Applying this combination 1–3 days before forecasted rainfall can enhance pitch surface playability by significantly reducing standing water.

In hot and dry conditions

During hot, dry summers or when working with sand constructions, turfgrass managers face a different challenge: retaining moisture in the rootzone and preventing localised dry patch.

To tackle this, methyl-capped and reverse block copolymers are especially effective. They are proven to enhance water retention, improve lateral distribution, and reduce hydrophobicity in the rootzone. Field studies show that these surfactants maintain more uniform soil moisture levels, supporting turf health during drought stress, particularly where free draining sands dominate.

Emergency - dry patch

Localised dry patch is typically caused by water repellency in the top 5.0–7.5 cm of the profile, limiting both water infiltration and retention. Where dry patch has already developed, a curative soil surfactant is needed. Blended surfactant formulations - containing both reverse block and straight block or other chemistries - offer flexible solutions suitable for curative programmes. These blends support quick rehydration of the soil profile, accelerate turf surface recovery from drought stress and reduce the likelihood of localised dry patch returning.

Conclusion

As weather conditions grow more unpredictable, turfgrass managers must be increasingly adaptable and be able to shift their approach to water management strategies based on real time experiences on the ground. By understanding the specific roles of different surfactant chemistries, professionals can quickly tailor their surfactant programmes to suit these changeable conditions.

• In wet periods, surfactants containing straight block copolymers and alkyl polyglucosides can significantly enhance infiltration, reduce surface water and mitigate turf stress caused by saturation.
• In dry conditions, formulations containing methyl-capped and reverse block copolymers improve soil moisture retention, reduce water repellency and promote uniform hydration.

Ultimately, by aligning product selection with climate trends and agronomic specifics, turf professionals can improve turf health, increase playability and support more sustainable water management practices in the face of an increasingly unpredictable and extreme climates.

For more information, please contact your local Aquatrols Account Manager.

The Aquatrols Company develops technology to optimise soil – water - plant interactions.  Aquatrols strongly believe we should take responsibility to protect our soil and water environment by delivering high performing, safe and environmentally responsible surfactant products for our end users, distributor partners and the wider community.