PBS150 – Saving Water is Just the Beginning
The Pressure to Do More With Less
Water scarcity and rising costs have placed significant pressure on turf managers to adopt more sustainable, effective irrigation practices. While reducing water use is a fundamental goal, true progress in turf management hinges on optimizing how water interacts with soil to promote plant health and maximize resource efficiency. The solution lies in improving how water functions in the soil, not just increasing supply during dry conditions. Inconsistent water infiltration and inadequate soil-root zone conditions persist regardless of the amount of water applied. PBS150 offers a research-driven approach designed to improve soil-water performance and deliver benefits that extend beyond water savings.
Beyond Conventional Surfactants
Unlike conventional linear surfactants, PBS150 features a patented multi-branched molecular structure that delivers long-term soil performance. It is specifically designed for fewer applications at lower rates where consistent moisture management is critical. PBS150 addresses hydrophobic soils by breaking surface tension barriers, promoting faster, more uniform water movement into the root zone. This reduces runoff, reduces the need for frequent irrigation, and increases water-use efficiency. Its unique multi-branched molecular structure ensures better lateral and vertical water distribution, helping to reduce localized dry spots and enhance uniformity in volumetric water content. By improving moisture retention in the root zone, PBS150 allows for less frequent irrigation without sacrificing turf quality or performance. Retaining uniform soil moisture improves nutrient retention and uptake, minimizes leaching in sand-based systems, and helps protect fertilizer and pesticide investments.
Water efficiency is just the starting point. PBS150 enhances how water performs in the soil – delivering measurable gains in uniformity, root zone health and operational sustainability.
System-Wide Soil Performance Benefits
PBS150’s value extends well beyond water conservation. Over time, it improves soil structure and function, supports oxygen exchange, and encourages deeper rooting. It maintains surface firmness and consistency, supports predictable moisture management, and eliminates the need for emergency watering. Operationally, PBS150 enables more consistent irrigation scheduling, fewer corrective applications, and greater labor and resource savings. Its use also contributes to sustainability by lowering environmental impact and maximizing fertilizer utilization.
Research that Quantifies Performance
Independent university trials and field data have demonstrated PBS150’s capacity to reduce water use, improve infiltration rates, and enhance moisture uniformity in high-stress turf environments. Data from these studies consistently show greater rootzone performance at lower rates and fewer applications than with competing surfactants, resulting in tangible resource savings. A Penn State University study compared PBS150 to an industry-leading surfactant on L-93 creeping bentgrass fairways. Over 132 days, PBS150 reduced water use by 36% compared with control plots—equivalent to saving 1.47 million gallons over 25 acres in eight weeks—and outperformed the competitor by saving an additional 6% of water and reducing the number of watering cycles.
Start Strong with PBS150
Begin applying PBS150 early in the growing season, before any signs of water repellency or localized dry spot (LDS) develop. For optimal results, use PBS150 as part of a full-season program rather than waiting for symptoms of water repellency or turfgrass stress to appear.
Water efficiency is just the starting point for advanced soil management. PBS150, with its patented multi-branched and research-backed technology, delivers system-wide enhancements in turf health, resource efficiency, and operational sustainability. By addressing how water is managed in the soil profile, PBS150 represents a new standard in performance-driven turf care.