Advantages of seed treatment Protects germinating seeds and seedlings against soil and seed borne pathogens/insects. Seed germination enhancement. Early and uniform establishment and growth Enhances nodulation in legume crop. Better than soil and foliar application. 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. 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. Seed coating: A special binder is used with a formulation to enhance adherence to the seed. Coating requires advanced treatment technology, by the industry. 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 Remarks Sugarcane Root rot, wilt Carbendazim (0.1%) 2 g/kg seed Trichoderma spp. 4-6 g/kg seed For seed dressing metal seed dresser / earthern pots or polythene bags are used. Rice Root rot disease Trichoderma 5-10 g/kg seed (before transplanting) -do- 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 -do- White tip nematode Seed soaking in 0.2% solution of Monocrotophos -do- Chillies Anthracnose spp. Damping off Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride 4g/kg, Carbandazim @ 1g/100 g seed. -do- 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. -do- 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 For seed dressing metal seed dresser/earthern pots or polythene bags are used. 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 -do- 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. -do- 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. For seed dressing metal seed dresser/earthern pots or polythene bags are used. Coriander Wilt Trichoderma viride @ 4 g/kg seed. -do- Brinjal Bacterial wilt Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10g/kg. -do- Leguminous Vegetables Soil borne infection Trichoderma viride @ 2 gm/100g seed. -do- Nematode Carbofuran/Carbosulfan 3% (w/w) Sunflower Seed rot Trichoderma viride @ 6 g/kg seed. -do- 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 For seed dressing metal seed dresser / earthern pots or polythene bags are used 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. -do- 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. Source : Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage Related Resources Seed Treatment awareness poster (441KB) SeedNet India Portal Horticultural varieties from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University