Seed treatment

• Seed treatment may be defined as the treatment of seed with different substances like water, fungicide, growth regulators, nutrient solution, or any other physical treatment aiming at one or more of the following objectives;

– Breaking of dormancy

– Improve germination/emergence

– Protect from insect pests and diseases including the storage pest

– Improving seedling vigor and promoting initial crop growth

– Supply of nutrients

– Inducing drought resistance

Methods of seed treatment

– Dust treatment (Powder form of fungicide)

– Wet treatment (liquid solution)

– Slurry treatment (dipping seed or seedlings in slurry like rice seedlings in phosphate slurry)

– Pelleting (Protectant against soil organisms, and as a repellent against birds and rodents)

Seed treating fungicides

a. Mercurial

• Organic mercurial: These are used for treating small seed grains such as flax, cotton, safflower, etc, but the treated seeds cannot be stored for a long time. Eg. Quinone, benzene fungicide, dexon etc.
• Inorganic mercurial: The chemicals used are mercuric chloride, mercurous chloride, and mercuric oxide but these materials are injurious to the seed.

b. Non-mercurial

• Organic: Thiram and captan are organic non-mercurial in wider use. They are less effective compared to organic materials but are safe for seeds and persons treating the seed. The treated seeds may be stored for a long time.
• Inorganic: Copper carbonate, copper sulfate, cuprous oxide, etc. are the chemicals belonging to this group.