Which adjuvant type improves the penetration of pesticides into plants?

The type of adjuvant that improves the penetration of pesticides into plants is the plant penetrant. Plant penetrants are specifically designed to enhance the absorption of pesticide active ingredients through plant tissues, allowing them to reach their target sites more effectively. This kind of adjuvant alters the plant's surface properties, reducing barriers that might impede penetration, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the pesticide.

Buffer adjuvants, while useful for maintaining the pH of the spray solution, primarily focus on stabilizing the formulation and do not significantly contribute to enhancing penetration into the plant tissues. Surfactants are intended to reduce surface tension, helping the pesticide spread more evenly on the leaf surface, but they do not actively aid in penetrating the plant's physiological barriers. Sticker adjuvants help pesticides adhere to surfaces, prolonging their effectiveness but again do not enhance the penetration into the plant itself. Thus, plant penetrants are uniquely suited for improving how well and how quickly pesticides can enter plant tissues.