Crop Care
Seed treatment is the use of application and processes prior to planting in order to provide protection and improve the establishment of healthy crops. This helps them during early development to ensure optimum emergence so a crop has the best chance of reaching its full genetic yield potential.
Applying seed treatments means farmers do not have to spray in the early stages of plant development, saving the farmer time and money. By applying plant protection products to seeds, rather than spraying the field or crop, use of the substance can be reduced by as much as 95%, which means lower environmental impact.
Applying seed treatments means farmers do not have to spray in the early stages of plant development, saving the farmer time and money. By applying plant protection products to seeds, rather than spraying the field or crop, use of the substance can be reduced by as much as 95%, which means lower environmental impact.
The seed treatment market has seen a rise over the past few years. This is due to a number of factors including:
- The increase in high value seeds meaning it is more important to protect your investment
- Environmental pressures such as:
- Reducing the amount of pesticides used
- Contamination of waterways
- Effects on non-target organisms - Operator safety concerns
- Greater number of active ingredient registered for use as seed treatments
- Seed treatment active ingredients are coming off patent
- Improved seed treatment equipment
Seed treatments do however bring some associated hazards. One of the main issues with seed treatment products is the dust-off produced during application bagging and sowing. This dust can contain hazardous active ingredient which can be inhaled by the operator causing safety concerns. However a good seed treatment product will reduce this amount of dust making them safer. Within the seed treatment area we have a vast range of capabilities from formulation advice and development to application to the seed.
Formulating Seed Treatments
If you are interested in learning more about seed treatment formulations and how to develop them, we have a range of tools to help.Download our Seed Vision guide for recommendations on dispersants and emulsifiers that are suitable for the high performance requirements and complexity of seed treatments.
Other tools available are:
Seed Vision Guide
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Enhancing Seed Quality
Enhancing the quality of the seed gives crops the best chance of reaching their full genetic yield potential. This can be done by protecting and stimulating seeds using processes such as seed priming, upgrading, disinfection, pelleting, encrusting and film coating. Incotec, a division of Croda, has the ability and technology to improve and enhance the quality of seeds and to apply seed treatment products.
The seven Incotec technology groups are:
- Upgrading
- Priming
- Disinfection
- Film coating
- Encrusting & pelleting
- Application of actives and additives
- Analytical quality testing