This two year study reports the effect of various surfactant chemistries on an inorganic amended green in S.E. United States. Applications of soil surfactants are typical on golf courses to manage water repellency, increase water use efficiency, reduce runoff and reduce leaching. Modifying USGA greens with inorganic amendments is a growing trend. Our objective was to determine if surfactants ameliorate soil water repellency (SWR) and facilitate rootzone moisture in an inorganic amended green as effectively as a sand-based green.
Visual quality, percent localized dry spot (LDS), chlorophyll content, electrical conductivity (EC), and moisture content were collected for two years.  Four surfactant chemistries; a blended EO-PO block copolymer (BEP), a methyl-capped block copolymer (MEP), an APG-EO/PO block copolymer (AEP), and a single component EO-PO block copolymer (SEP), were evaluated on a droughty bermudagrass green amended with an inorganic porous ceramic. Results are generally consistent with first year results. BEP and AEP chemistries increased turfgrass quality, reduced LDS, increased chlorophyll content and increased volumetric water content. MEP treated soil was consistently drier when compared to the other surfactant treatments. When evaluating EC, no treatment separation was significant. All surfactants, with the exception of the AEP chemistry, reduced SWR significantly.
Results indicate the surfactant chemistry plays a significant role in rootzone moisture content and management of SWR. Results also indicate that the use of a surfactant on an inorganic amended green is necessary to maintain turfgrass quality, reduced LDS, maximize rootzone moisture and reduce SWR. In a highly amended green, MEP chemistry may not be the best surfactant choice. The role of the inorganic amendment and the role of the recycled water were not considered when evaluating the chemistries.