You can’t recover yield potential lost from a poor start in the critical first weeks of seeding, and treatments are one tool you can use to protect yield potential and ROI.

This winter we’ve seen warm temperatures and low snow fall throughout most of Canada.  That means your soil structure and disease pressure could look much different than if you were predicting four feet of snow. Choosing seed varieties with the best genetic potential for your operation is crucial. And part of the planning and variety selection process should include choosing a seed treatment.

What are the Benefits of Seed Treatments?

Seed treatments act as a preventative measure against soil-borne diseases and pests,  and can help you offset certain production challenges before the seed is in the ground.

In some crops, seed treatments are the only proven option to protect against certain pests and disease. Pests and diseases with no practical alternative to seed treatment include virus vectors in cereals and corn, “sudden death” syndrome in soybeans, and seed borne diseases in cereals.1

Reducing Later Spray Treatments?

Some studies show that using a seed treatment can reduce the need for in-season treatments.

By placing the crop protection product on the seed where it’s needed most, treated seeds reduce the use of foliar pesticide applications and the potential for non-target exposure to pesticides through drift or misapplication. 3

Field and weather conditions can prevent post-seeding applications, but applying the treatment directly to the seed offers protection to young plants regardless of what the field conditions are. 1

More Than Just Insurance 

In some cases, a mild winter and snow cover can increase flea beetle survival rates. Following seeding, higher temperatures and reduced soil moisture slows the growth of canola seedlings and elevates the risk of damage due to flea beetles. In environmental conditions like this, a seed treatment can reduce the risk of early season flea beetle damage which ultimately impact canola yields.

This is just one of the proven ways seed treatments can protect your crop and ROI.

Learn more about common diseases and what registered products are available.

References:

1. https://www.bayer.com/sites/default/files/Benefits%20of%20Seed%20Treatment%20Explained_2022.pdf
2. https://www.cropscience.bayer.ca/en/products/seed-treatments/seedgrowth/why-treat-your-seed#:~:text=Seed%20treatments%20help%20give%20emerging,better%20performance%20and%20yield%20potential.
3. https://www.betterseed.org/treated-seeds/