PASSAGE  is a soil surfactant formulation in an injectable and a sprayable product designed to overcome problems with the infiltration and penetration of water from rainfall or irrigation events into and through soil profiles that exhibit water repellency at or near the soil surface. PASSAGE  goes beyond just correcting conditions found on the soil surface. The chemical properties of its multi-functional soil surfactants have been carefully “tuned” so their components work together to address additional hydrophobic conditions in the subsurface layers of the soil profile -– conditions that may reduce infiltration capacity, create uneven hydration, reduce capillarity and disrupt the uniform distribution of water in turfgrass rootzones.

Unlike many injectable and sprayable soil surfactants that utilize single surfactant technology or contain simple mixtures of different surfactants (polyblends), the development of PASSAGE Soil Surfactants is driven by advances in surfactant and formulation technologies that offer superior product performance through the use of novel chemistries as well as unique patterns of self-assembly expressed by surfactant components.

The construction of the PASSAGE formulation consists of two very different, high performance surfactant chemistries. The first constituent of PASSAGE is Disotrate AGE, new class of alkylpolyglucoside ester surfactants derived from natural, renewable raw materials. Golf course superintendents will find that the Disotrate AGE surfactant chemistry makes a significant contribution to the infiltration performance of the PASSAGE formulation because of the large size and repulsion to water by its non-polar "tail" and the large size and attraction to water by its polar "head."

The second constituent in the PASSAGE formulation is a tri-block copolymer. It was chosen for its exceptional ability to establish or restore adhesion sites (negative sites) on water repellent surfaces. In addition, this tri-block copolymer is proven to promote uniform vertical and lateral movement of water and solutes into and through the soil profile.

Disotrate AGE and its tri-block co-surfactant both contribute to preventing disruption of the wetting front by creating sites for water attachment (reducing surface tension). The larger, more complex tri-block surfactant also promotes downward and lateral movement of water (matrix flow).

PASSAGE also contains a slow-release urea-Triazone nitrogen fertilizer solution that is both foliar and root absorbable. Spoon feeding turfgrass with light, frequent applications of nitrogen have been shown to be effective as a supplementary treatment strategy within an overall nutrient-management program.

The PASSAGE Injectable Soil Surfactant and PASSAGE Sprayable Soil Surfactant formulations take advantage of the latest surfactant technologies to provide the golf course superintendent with a multi-functional solution to problems with infiltration, penetration and uniform movement of irrigation or natural event water distribution.

Surfactants used in PASSAGE should provide a significant improvement in:

• infiltration rates and the reduction of runoff water
• soil hydration and water movement throughout the soil profile
• irrigation effectiveness and efficiency
• the reduction of stress conditions and recovery from stress