Module 4:

4.2 What are they used for?

4.2.12 Wetting agents

Which one of the following statements best describes one of the main purposes of using a wetting agent on a football pitch?

1   This might be liquid, granular or pelleted chemicals which are watered into a surface and rootzone. They might also be liquid anti-dew products which are applied to the grass leave to reduce the ability of dew to form on the grass.

Where turf areas are prone to drying out and the development of the condition known as (localised) dry patch occurs, then the application of a wetting agent can assist moisture retention within a rootzone.

2   The use of these materials can be especially helpful on sandier pitches and where prolonged dry periods occur. Water can struggle to penetrate a very dry surface and just run-off the surface, reducing the amount of water that can get to the grass roots, thereby stressing the grass plant even more than would otherwise occur.

3   Where a wetting agent is used on its own and is not included as an additive to a plant protection product, then a Certificate of Competence in the safe use of pesticides is not usually required for the application of this type of product because it does not fall within the remit of the current (2025) pesticide legislation. However, it is good practice to have obtained a certificate of competence as this demonstrates that an individual is able to appropriately calibrate, mix the material and spray in an effective and safe way. If a wetting agent forms part of a mixture with a pesticide, then a certificate of competence will be needed to legally apply the material.

4   You should now have a good understanding of what certain materials might typically be used for on a football pitch.

We can now move onto the next section which provides a look at examples of when each material might be used.