Use
Soil conditioners are chemicals that are added to soil to
maintain the physical condition of the soil or to improve
the structure of the soil. Tensides belong to the group of
synthetic soil conditioners.
Tensides are wetting agents having hydrophobic and
hydrophilic properties within the same molecule. Water-repellent
organic matter adsorbs on the hydrophobic ends
of molecules of the wetting agents and the hydrophilic
ends link soil particles with water. When sprayed,
tensides increase water absorption and water efficiency
of soil.
Some important tensides are ammonium lauryl
sulphate, ethoxylated alkyl phenols, polyoxyethylene
esters of alkylated phenols, polyoxyalkylene glycols and
their polymers, polyoxyethylene, polypropoxypropanol
glycol butyl esters, alkyl polyglycosides, sulfosuccinates
and polypropylene oxides.