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Seed Treatment

Seed treatment refers to the application of fungicide, insecticide, or a combination of both, to seeds so as to disinfect and disinfect them from seed-borne or soil-borne pathogenic organisms and storage insects.

Seed treatments can be an environmentally friendlier way of using pesticides as the amounts used can be very small. It is usual to add colour to make treated seed less attractive to birds, and easier to see and clean up in the case of an accidental spillage.

 A seed coating is a thicker form of covering of seed and may contain fertiliser, growth promoters and or seed treatment as well as an inert carrier and a polymer outer shell. The term "seed dressing" is also used to refer to the process of removing chaff, weed seeds and straw from a seed stock.

Advantages of seed treatment

1.         Protects germinating seeds and seedlings against soil and seed borne athogens/insects.

2.         Seed germination enhancement.

3.         Early and uniform establishment and growth

4.         Enhances nodulation in legume crop.

5.         Better than soil and foliar application.

6.         Uniform crop stand, even in adverse conditions (less/high moisture)

Procedure for Seed Treatment

Seed treatment is a term that describes both products and processes. Seed treatment can be done in one of the following types.

1. Seed dressing: This is the most common method of seed treatment. The seed is dressed with either a dry formulation or wet treated with a slurry or liquid formulation. Dressings can be applied at both farm and industries. Low cost earthen pots can be used for mixing pesticides with seed or seed can be spread on a polythene sheet and required quantity of chemical can be sprinkled on seed lot and mixed mechanically by the farmers.

2. Seed coating: A special binder is used with a formulation to enhance adherence to the seed. Coating requires advanced treatment technology, by the industry.

3. Seed pelleting: The most sophisticated Seed Treatment Technology, resulting in changing physical shape of a seed to enhance palatability and handling. Pelleting requires specialized application machinery and techniques and is the most expensive application.

 

 

Recommendation of seed treatment for crops

 

Crop

Pest/Disease

Seed Treatment

 

Sugarcane

Root rot, wilt

Carbendazim (0.1%) 2 g/kg seed

Trichoderma spp. 4-6 g/kg seed

 

Rice

Root rot disease

Trichoderma 5-10 g/kg seed (before transplanting)

 

other insects/pests

Chloropyriphos 3g/kg seed.

Bacterial sheath blight

Pseudomonas fluorescens 0.5% W.P. 10 gm/kg.

Root knot nematode

Seed soaking in 0.2% of Monocrotophos for 6 hours

 

White tip nematode

Seed soaking in 0.2% solution of Monocrotophos

 

Chillies

Anthracnose spp.

Damping off

Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride 4g/kg, Carbandazim @ 1g/100 g seed.

 

Soil borne infection of fungal disease

 

Trichoderma viride @ 2 gm/kg. seed and Pseudomonas flourescens, @ 10g/kg, Captan 75 WS @ 1.5 to 2.5 g a.i./litre for soil drenching.

 

Jassid, aphid, thrips

Imidacloprid 70 WS @ 10-15 gm a.i./kg seed

 

Pigeon pea

Wilt,

Blight and Root rot

Trichoderma spp. @ 4 g/kg. seed

 

Pea

Root rot

 

 

 

 

 

Seed treatment with

-   Bacillus subtilis

-    Pseudomonas fluorescens

Soil application @ 2.5 – 5 kg in 100 kg FYM

or

Carbendazim or Captan 2 g/kg seed

 

White rot

Thiram + Carbendazim 2 g/ kg seed

Carbendazim or Captan 2 g / kg seed

Bhendi

Root knot nematode

 

Paecilomyces lilacinus and Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10 g/kg as seed dresser.

 

 

Tomato

Soil borne infection  of fungal disease

Early blight

Damping off

Wilt

T. viride @ 2 g/100gm seed.

Captan 75 WS @ 1.5 to 2.0 g a.i./litre for soil drenching.

Pseudomonas fluorescens and V. clamydosporium @ 10g/kg as seed dresser.

 

Coriander

Wilt

Trichoderma viride @ 4 g/kg seed.

 

Brinjal

Bacterial wilt

Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10g/kg.

 

Leguminous Vegetables

Soil borne infection

Trichoderma viride @ 2 gm/100g seed.

 

Nematode

Carbofuran/Carbosulfan 3% (w/w)

Sunflower

Seed rot

Trichoderma viride @ 6 g/kg  seed.

 

Jassids, Whitefly

Imidaclorprid 48FS @ 5-9 g a.i. per kg seed

Imidacloprid 70WS @ 7 g a.i. per kg seed

Wheat

Termite

 

 

Treat the seed before sowing with any one of the following insecticides.

Chlorpyriphos @ 4 ml/kg seed or Endosulfan @ 7ml / kg seeds

 

Bunt/False smut/loose smut/covered smut

Thiram 75% WP

Carboxin 75 % WP

Tebuconazole 2 DS @ 1.5 to 1.87 g a.i. per kg seed.

T. viride 1.15 % WP @ 4 g/kg.

Cruciferous  vegetables

(Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Knol-khol, radish)

Soil / Seed  borne  diseases (Damping off)

 

 

 

Root knot nematode

Seed treatment with Trichoderma viridi @ 2 g / 100 g  seeds

Captan 75% WS @ 1.5 to 2.5 g a.i./litre for soil drenching.

 

Pseudomonas fluorescens and Verlicillium clamydosporium @ 10g/kg seed as seed dresser.

 

 

 

Gram

Wilt and damping off

Seed treatment with Trichoderma viridi 1% WP @ 9 g/kg seeds

Combination of Carbendazim with Carbosulfan @ 0.2% Carbendazim with Thiram with Carbosulfan @ 0.2%

Treat the seed with Chlorpyriphos 20 EC @ 15-30 ml a.i./kg seed.

 

Potato

Soil and Tuber borne diseases

Seed treatment with MEMC 3% WS @ 0.25% or boric acid 3% for 20 minutes before storage.

 

Barley

Loose smut

Covered smut

Leaf stripe

Termite

Carboxin 75% WP

Thiram 75% WP @ 1.5 to 1.87 gm a.i./kg seed.

Treat the seed with Chlorpyriphos @ 4 ml/kg seed.

 

Capsicum

Root knot nematode

Pseudomonas fluorescens 1% WP, Paecilomyces lilacirius and Verticillium chlamydosporium 1% WP @ 10g/kg as seed dresser.