General information
The demand for biological seed treatment solutions is increasing. They ensure that farmers protect their potential yield and quality by minimizing crop loss. Koppert’s biological seed treatment products can be divided into crop protection products (Cerall, Cedomon, Cedress), which have a clear effect against pests or diseases (biotic stress), and biostimulants (Panoramix) that increase crop resilience against abiotic stress, like drought-, salinity stress, and improve the uptake of plant nutrients.
What is biological seed treatment?
Biological seed treatment consists of active ingredients that can include microbes like fungi and bacteria, as well as plant extracts and algae extracts.
Biological substances are applied to the seed in a powder form or as a liquid. An even layer covers the whole seed. In this way, the beneficial ingredients are available to the seed when it requires them.
What are the benefits of biological seed treatment?
Biological seed treatment has beneficial effects on the growth, resilience of the plant, abiotic stress, the development of the root system, and the productivity of the crop. An overview of positive attributes of microbials depending on the organism:
- Biological seed treatment acts as a biostimulant: a treated crop becomes stronger and grows better;
- The treatment enhances crop yields while helping plants to fight off plant pathogens and minimize biotic stress;
- The plant growth promoting microorganisms colonize the roots and protect the crop during the entire growing season.
- Seed treatment increases the availability of plant nutrients in the root system and increases nutrient uptake;
- The enhanced root and shoot growth means that the early growth rate is optimized and that both the nutritional value of the crop as well as production yields are boosted;
- Biological seed treatment reduces the use of agrochemicals which results in a lower exposure of growers to chemicals and lessens their impact on the environment. The potential exposure of the soil to agrochemicals is also limited in this way.