Despite their critical role in turf maintenance and because they aren’t pest management tools, wetting agents do not go through the same federal registration and labeling process as herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides, resulting in less research data about what they are and how they work. In the absence of such data, marketing terminology such as “penetrant” or “retainer,” along with anecdotal evidence, have been used instead. After several years of research, the results are in on the difference in turfgrass soil surfactants that are marketed as “penetrants” and “retainers.” The study titled “Penetrants Versus Retainers: Comparing Soil Surfactant Terminology to Performance in Sand-Based Putting Greens” found that differences between soil surfactants marketed as “penetrants” or “retainers” were inconsistent, if present at all.

Every time Fred Below and Connor Sible (CPSC) meet with Illinois farmers, they get the same question. “What’s the story with these biologicals? Do they work?” The confusion of new products and unclear terminology prompted the team to embark on a deep dive into the world of biologicals and biostimulants, publishing their commentary in Agricultural and Environmental Letters.

At the center of the study is Indigo, a 235-acre master-planned community in Fort Bend County, Texas, where residents will begin to move later this month. The neighborhood will have 42 acres dedicated to agriculture, including crop fields and a livestock pasture. Plans also emphasize walkability, with more than half of the land dedicated to car-free green spaces. The study will recruit 350 participants total, comprised of 175 Indigo residents and 175 residents of a comparison community in Fort Bend County. Located about 20 miles away from Indigo, the comparison neighborhood has similar demographics but is a traditional planned community without the features of an agrihood. Participants will complete a comprehensive survey about their lifestyle before moving in to establish a baseline and will be surveyed again at three and six months.

Forests, grasslands, and other natural areas around the world have access to about a quarter less nitrogen than previously estimated, according to a new study published today in Nature. Coauthored by Sarah Batterman, an ecologist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, findings have implications for natural climate solutions, as nitrogen is essential to plant growth and thus the removal of carbon from the atmosphere.

A new study found evidence that stands of aspen trees could resist wildfires by slowing a fire’s advance or changing its course. The findings suggest that aspen forests can act as natural firebreaks.

A new study led by Virginia Tech found that volunteer dog-handler teams — made up of everyday people and their pets — can effectively detect the elusive egg masses of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that's damaging farms and forests across the eastern and central United States.