How do they work? Why should I use them? Surfactants 101 How do they work? Why should I use them?

How do they work? Water naturally has surface tension because it is a polar molecule (it has positively and negatively charged ions) This means water likes bonding to itself. Surfactants reduce the surface tension of H₂O by bonding H₂O molecules to molecules that are not water soluble.

How do they work? Basically Surfactants make water “wetter” This is especially important in spraying applications

How do they work? Plants have a waxy coating on the surface of their leaves called the cuticle that in insoluble to water This greatly reduces the amount of water that is absorbed by plant leaves Water tends to bead up and drip off of leaves Water and oil(wax) don’t mix

How do they work? Surfactants alleviate this problem by “binding” the water to the leaf surface, therefore allowing herbicides to better penetrate leaf tissues. Source: www.smart-fertilizer.com Source: www.weeds.iastate.edu

Why should I use them? There are many other benefits as well… Acts as a spreader (for spray solutions) Acts as an activator Faster soil penetration Aids Irrigation (less runoff and evaporation due to faster penetration) Helps keep pesticides in suspension (due to its unique ability to bond soluble and insoluble substances)

Why should I use them? Benefits continued… Non-corrosive (protects your pumps, tanks, nozzles & is less corrosive than plain water! ) Keeps equipment clean (prevents clogs and less downtime) Biodegradable Reduces effects of soil compaction Concentrated (4oz./100gal. of spray solution) All of the above help increase yields!

Additional Info Do a Jar Test to ensure compatability Add the surfactant last Not recommended to use agitators/aerators Often increases the effectiveness of the pesticide, but use the manufacturers reccommendations In irrigation or fertilizer applications increase rate to 16oz./acre See the APSA-80 brochure for more information