Notice: Using Internet Explorer may cause some issues with loading dynamic content such as Cash Bids. Please use a modern browser such as Edge, Firefox, or Chrome.

Dynamic Weather Icon for Today's Forecast
Weather N/A

BIOLOGICAL SEED TREATMENTS

03/20/2017

Key Points:

  • The biologicals seed treatment segment is growing explosively.
  • Seed treatments offer the advantage of placing the biological agent in close proximity to the emerging root system of the crop.
  • Presented below is a sampling of the most prominent biological seed treatment products available from your FS company. 
  • Our preferred seed treatment biologicals are a great opportunity for MiField trials this season.

What are ‘biological seed treatments’? Biological seed treatments are a diverse class of products, with active ingredients that include living microbes, plant extracts, fermentation products, phytohormones, and even hard chemistry.

Benefits include increased nutrient availability in the rhizosphere, enhanced root and shoot growth, increased nutrient uptake, protection from pathogens, and better nutrient utilization efficiency. Seed treatment biologicals ensure that early season growth rate is optimized, stress is minimized, and yield potential is maintained at a high level. Whether these benefits translate directly to yield in any given year will depend on local factors – like crop rotation, soil environment, pathogen load, and growing conditions. Seed treatment is a very common mode of delivery of biological products, because the product is in close proximity to the crop root system from day one. Proximity is critical for microbes that are dependent upon a relationship with the plants roots and/or rhizosphere community.reased nutrient uptake, protection from pathogens, and better nutrient utilization efficiency. Seed treatment biologicals ensure that early season growth rate is optimized, stress is minimized, and yield potential is maintained at a high level. Whether these benefits translate directly to yield in any given year will depend on local factors – like crop rotation, soil environment, pathogen load, and growing conditions. Seed treatment is a very common mode of delivery of biological products, because the product is in close proximity to the crop root system from day one. Proximity is critical for microbes that are dependent upon a relationship with the plants roots and/or rhizosphere community.

Soybean Inoculants and Signaling Compounds. The nitrogen fixing nodules on soybeans are the result of a symbiotic relationship between the plant and Bradyrhizobium bacteria. The root exudates known as isoflavonoids are produced to signal the rhizobium to colonize the root. The bacteria in turn produce lipochitooligosaccharides (nod-LCO) to signal back to the plant that they are ready to colonize the root. The plant produces carbohydrates to benefit the rhizobia (causing a small photosynthetic drag), and the rhizobia fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and make it available to the plant. Our objective in adding Bradyrhizobium inoculants is to ensure viable numbers for active nodule formation. Inoculum is especially important to yield under conditions where native populations may be depressed, such as when land is rotated to soybeans after an extended period in another crop like pasture or CRP. Our objective in adding signaling agents is to speed up the colonization process and improve early nitrogen availability to the growing plant.

  • Acceleron B200 SAT (Monsanto BioAg) is an isoflavonoid signaling compound to hasten colonization and nodule formation.
  • Optimize XC (Monsanto BioAg) is a combination of Bradyrhizobium japonicum (107 CFUs/ml) and a nod-LCO signaling compound to stimulate aggressive root colonization and nodule formation. The ‘XC’ designates a new extra concentrated formulation.
  • Tag Team LCO XC (Monsanto BioAg) adds the beneficial rhizofungus Penicillium billaiae to Optimize XC for the purpose of releasing mineral-bound phosphate and making it available to the growing plant.

Bio-Stimulants. These products involve direct inoculation with beneficial microbes or use signaling compounds to stimulate native microflora into forming beneficial plant relationships that accelerate early growth. Greater response is likely in soils testing low in phosphorus, tougher soil textures with low organic matter, and conventional tillage systems.

  • Quickroots (Monsanto BioAg) is a combination of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain TJ1000 (a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) and Trichoderma virens strain GI-3 (a beneficial soil fungus that mediates release of mineral bound phosphates). The plant available P stimulates early root growth, which enhances nitrogen and potassium uptake, further increasing early vegetative growth. This product is available in both a liquid formulation and planter box treatment.
  • Torque (Monsanto BioAg) is a different type of LCO signaling compound, specific to mycorrhizae, which promotes colonization of the corn root system by native endo-mycorrhizae. This beneficial relationship effectively extends the root system by as much as 40%

Bio-Nematicides and Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). We now have multiple seasons of overall positive trial experience with the following products in the fight against soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and SDS. Response is most likely in environments with high disease pressure.

  • Clariva pn (Syngenta) is spores of Pasteuria nishizawae, an obligate bacterial parasitoid of soybean cyst nematode. The product has narrow specificity to SCN, but offers excellent crop safety, provides season-long protection, and has been shown to reduce SCN population numbers. Our internal trials have shown profitable results where SCN is a known issue.
  • VOTiVO (Bayer CropSciences) is Bacillus firmus, a bacterium that colonizes the root surface and provides broad-spectrum full-season control of nematodes.
  • ILeVO (Bayer CropSciences) is a hard chemistry active ingredient fluopyram that provides primary activity against Fusarium (SDS) and secondary nematode activity. The product is systemic and provides 45 days of protection after planting. Some crop injury is possible under adverse conditions at emergence, but research has proven definitively that the injury does not cause stand or yield loss. The product has high efficacy and profitable response when SDS pressure is high.

MiField Opportunities. We are confident that the products above have a track record of proven performance in independent trials over several seasons. The only way to be sure that a biological product will deliver the results you expect in any given cropping system is to test the product in your own field environment as part of the FS MiField Applied Research program. Each of the products above can be adapted to a MiField protocol. We encourage you to sign up today and harness the potential power of seed treatment biologicals.

There are a wide range of additional seed treatment products beyond the scope of this article, including nutritionals, systemic acquired resistance products, and nitrogen use stimulants.

Contact your FS Crop Specialist for more information. 

Related Articles

May 19, 2020

At about the V3 stage of corn growth, the developing corn plant starts to shift from relying on the seed for carbohydrates, to the new nodal root system, in conjunction with the photosynthetic capabilities of the leaves.

Jun 24, 2022

Potato Leafhopper (PLH) is an economically important pest of alfalfa in the Midwest and eastern portions of the U.S. Infection by PLH causes reductions in yield, quality, and stand longevity.

Sep 3, 2020

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium usually come to mind first when growers think of critical nutrients for their corn or soybeans. But environmental changes in sulfur levels are causing growers to rethink their nutrient management plans.

Related Videos

Sep 8, 2021

Tips from the field with Matt Aberle.

Nov 17, 2019

Exciting new FS InVISION corn products in the 100 and 105 day maturity range.

Nov 5, 2019

Exciting new products int he 100 and 105 day maturity range from FS InVISION.

We have revised our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Please read both of these documents as the changes affect your legal rights. By continuing you agree to these updates.

We have revised our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Please read both of these documents as the changes affect your legal rights. By continuing you agree to these updates.