Seed Treatments - Benefits & Proven Value for Growers
July 25, 2018
For most growers, seed treatments have become a standard management practice to enhance stand establishments and get seedlings off to a healthy start – proving to be a great option for maximizing crop success. Seed treatments provide good early-season control of these seed and seedling pathogens in soybeans, as well as corn, cotton and wheat.
Research shows soybean yields may be reduced by an average of 2.5 bushels per acre by early season due to seed rots and seedling blights. Treatments guard your seed investment during the crucial early development stages, helping to prevent irreversible damage from numerous early-season pests, including insects, diseases and nematodes.
Seed Treatment Technology
Advanced seed treatment technology allows plants to uptake insecticides and fungicides, providing systemic and biological activity.
Advanced design technology of seed treatment application equipment ensures applicators have the tools they need to meet the highest standards of product application and efficiency. New seed treatment application equipment goes far beyond the traditional hand-mixing methods, delivering consistent, high-quality, bulk-treated seed to growers.
Production Practices
Reduced tillage and cover crops provide many benefits, but these practices also result in colder, damper soils, which can increase disease and insect problems. With seed treatments, newly planted seed and seedlings encounter less stand damage and yield loss. According to The Ohio State University, growers who use no-till or have poorly drained fields with a history of replanting will typically see the added value of using a seed treatment.
Seed treatment can offset the problems caused by cool, wet weather, as well as help fight:
- Early Insect Pests – Insect pests can harm crops in the early stages of emergence, both by damaging young plants and, in many crops, by acting as vectors of viruses. Seed treatments can provide protection from these above- and below-ground insects.
- Diseases – Fungal diseases can stop the growth of an emerging seedling or harm the plant. Controlling these diseases helps with the development of a healthy root system – the basis for optimal crop establishment and yield production.
All of these seed treatment benefits culminate in healthy, uniform plants, resulting in higher grain quality and yield potential.
Select the Correct Seed Treatment Technology for Your Crop
The Bayer SeedGrowth portfolio of seed treatment products for corn, soybeans, cotton and cereals allows growers to choose from some of the best seed treatments on the market today, including seed and seedling disease protection, early-season insect and nematode protection.
Bayer also offers the On Demand™ system for seed treatment application, with improvements over traditional seed treatment equipment. On Demand is fully automated and completely closed, meaning that applicators can meet high quality standards and stewardship guidelines without needing to worry about inaccuracies that can result from traditional hand mixing.
In support of sustainable agriculture, Bayer developed Fluency Agent Advanced to replace standard seed lubricants made of talc, graphite or a talc-graphite blend for corn and soybean seeds. In addition to improving planter performance, Fluency Agent Advanced helps reduce the amount of total dust released in treated seed dust during planting, reducing the potential risk of exposure to foraging honey bees and other pollinators if they come in direct contact with the dust.
