ASTRIA™ is the industry’s first truly effective, natural, and biodegradable soil surfactant. Derived from plant and microbiological components, Astria combines sustainable chemistry with solid agronomic efficacy.

For over 65 years, Aquatrols has earned a reputation for reliable, innovative solutions, and Astria is no exception. This unique formulation will meet or exceed the performance of conventional soil surfactants. End-users can rest assured that Astria will deliver superior soil moisture while reducing fossil fuel consumption, synthetic inputs, and landfill inundation.

We envision a world where our soil amendments safeguard natural resources without sacrificing turf health. To these ends, Aquatrols is committed to pioneering environmentally sound solutions to help forge a flourishing future for our green spaces.

Trial Purpose

To determine if Astria performs as well as an industry standard soil surfactant (Zipline), in comparison to an untreated control. This field experiment included a period of drying conditions/abiotic stress which is known to initiate soil water repellency. Zipline was chosen as a competitive industry standard because, like Astria, it contains two surfactants and a plant health component.

Field Trials:

Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) Redlands research facility, Queensland Australia on an established Tif-Eagle Bermudagrass(Cynodon dactylon vs transvaalensis) green, managed as fine turf, and established at USGA specification rootzone. Replicated field trials for 60 days.

Results:

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) to determine the production of drought

defensive enzymes (superoxide dismutase/SOD) under drought stress. Replicated lab trials for 90 days.

Turf Color: Zipline and Astria exhibited better turf color than the untreated control

Turf Quality: Zipline exhibited the best quality, followed by Astria and the untreated control

Sward Density: Zipline and Astria exhibited better sward density than the untreated control

SOD Production: Zipline and Astria exhibited enhanced SOD production and turf recovery following drought stress

Figure 1. STRI field trial visual comparison between Astria, Zipline and Untreated Control after 60 days.

* means followed by the same letter are not significantly different, ANOVA (p < 0.005), LSD means separation (α = 0.05)

Foliar application of ASTRIA every 14 days for 60 days (including during a dry down period) resulted in:

• overall greener phenotype

• enhanced quality which includes texture, smoothness and uniformity

• improved turf density/number of shoots per unit area

• increased leaf SOD activity and improved recovery during and following drought stress

*Bauters et. al (1998) demonstrated that poor irrigation may lead to development of soil water repellency, especially in high sand content soils such as USGA specification rootzone, thereby preventing water infiltration.

In field and laboratory trials, the application of Astria resulted in overall turf conditions that were on par with an industry standard (Zipline) when considering turf quality, color, and sward density, in both cool and warm season grasses. These measures are common predictors of overall turf health and vigor.

In addition, under abiotic stress such as drying conditions, the application of Astria resulted in improved turf health through water infiltration and retention, as well as improved recovery.

*Bauters, T. W. J., Dicarlo, D. A., Steenhuis, T. S., & Parlange, J. Y. (1998). Preferential flow in water-repellent sands. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 62, 1185-1190.