Verdesian: Seed Treatment Can Make a World of Difference this Spring
March 21, 2019 The wet weather across much of the United States has no doubt had a significant impact on soybean seed quality, writes Verdesian Life Sciences in a recent blog post to its The Science of Farming blog.
Johnanna Beuerlein, Seed Lab Manager for the Ohio Seed Improvement Association, says this has been the worst season she has seen in her 28 years with respect to disease, particularly Phomopsis.
“It’s been just horrible,” says Beuerlein.
Michael Stahr, Seed Laboratory Manager with the Iowa Seed University Seed Lab, says timing is crucial when it comes to soybean seeds – particularly those harvested after the extended rains started last fall. He, too, has seen high levels of Phomopsis, along with Fusarium. Both Stahr and Beuerlein say a seed treatment can make a world of difference.
“Seed treatment has been effective in controlling the fungi and improving germination scores as long as the fungi hasn’t already killed the seeds and/or done significant damage to the seed,” says Stahr.
“Treating is amazing. The same seed with a low germination of 2 or 11% can pop up to 90% germination with a treatment,” says Beuerlein. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
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