Maintaining turf health and playability with Zipline

By Alistair July 24, 2021 09:34 Updated

Water is a critical part of any agronomic programme, and wetting agents are a key component for helping turf professionals manage water in the most efficient and effective way. Managing moisture levels properly can have a number of positive effects, including better playability and consistency of surfaces, healthier turf and soils, and reduced irrigation requirements.

Zipline® from Aquatrols® contains a blend of two high performance proven chemistries that break surface tension and optimise moisture deep down into the soil profile. It promotes balanced hydration throughout the rootzone and contains a proprietary technology that helps to unlock existing bound nutritional elements in the soil.

Playability and consistency

For firm and consistent playing surfaces it’s important to have just the right balance of moisture in the profile, and not all wetting agents are equally up to meeting this challenge. ‘Holding’ type chemistries may leave your playing surface too soft while penetrant type wetting agents may leave the door open for hydrophobic dry patch – both of which will have a negative effect on playability.

Zipline features a dual-action surfactant blend specifically designed for turf managers who want to get the most out of their playing surfaces while maintaining turf quality and consistency. This unique combination of soil surfactants improves water infiltration and balances hydration throughout the profile for fast, firm turf and consistent playability across all turf types.

Soil and turf health

Both your turf’s roots and beneficial soil microorganisms require moisture and air to survive and flourish. Getting the correct ratio of air to water in your soil’s macropores is very important to creating optimal conditions in which your turf and beneficial microorganisms in the soil will thrive.

Zipline hydrates soils while allowing excess water to move through the profile, leaving space for needed air. The AquaVita® technology contained in Zipline further aids plant and soil health by providing a complex of over 500 diﬀerent metabolites – including amino acids, humic acids, and fulvic acids – that stimulate biological activity in the soil.

Turf uniformity

The moisture content in your soils not only has an impact on the health of the grass plant itself, but can also affect the distribution and growth of turf species on your course. It’s interesting to note that high areas that tend to be more dry will often contain fine bent and fescue species while poa / bent species are often more prevalent in lower lying areas that retain more water. In extremely hydrophobic areas where turf has thinned, moss will be present along with Poa annua, the ultimate opportunist.

By promoting even distribution of moisture throughout the profile and reducing the risk of hydrophobic dry patch, Zipline helps you maintain turf species uniformity across the sward for more consistent play and better visual presentation.

Irrigation requirements

A good quality irrigation system is an essential tool for any turf care professional, especially as water is becoming more and more of a precious commodity. An accurate, reliable system is essential not only for maintaining turf health and growth, but for water conservation and cost savings as well.

A Zipline soil surfactant programme helps you get the most benefit out of your irrigation system by ensuring that applied water is used effectively and not lost. Once the irrigation system delivers water to the intended target area, Zipline moves it uniformly down into the soil profile where it can be readily taken up by turf roots.

When choosing a wetting agent for your agronomic programme, consider Zipline for better consistency, healthier turf and soils, and consistent results on all turf types.

For more information, visit eu.aquatrols.com