TECHNIQUES

Your seeds aren’t just an investment, they are the foundation of your harvest, your business, and your reputation.

Our solutions help you get the most from your seeds.

Pelleting

We coat seeds with inert materials to change their size and shape for improved plantability. With these materials we modify the size and density of the seed to enable precise metering during mechanical planting. Pelleting adds enough material so that the original shape of the seed changes and becomes spherical. If you’re planting a crop that grows from small or irregularly shaped seeds, such as lettuce, carrots and onions, pelleting can help make planting significantly easier on you and your equipment. Read More

Priming

Priming is for growers who want more vigorous, uniform stands. Priming is the controlled imbibition of water into the seed, starting the initial primary phase of germination. Seeds within a batch that are readier to germinate than others are osmotically held in suspension stopping further germination advancement while the slower germinating seeds catch up. When all the seeds within the batch are caught up, the process is halted at that point before seed cannot be dried without damage. Read More

Encrusting

Encrusting is the technique of adding a small amount of material to a seed to enable more accurate mechanical seed metering than one might get with untreated seed. Growers who are primarily concerned with reducing doubles or multiples rather than consistent seed spacing often choose to encrust their seeds. So little material is added that encrusted seed will often maintain the shape of the raw seed after being processed. Read More

Film Coating

Film coating is the method of encapsulating a seed with a very thin layer of synthetic polymer or similar material. Film coating is ideal for seed species that do not require pelleting for precision planting. Film coating ensures that the seed is safely covered (dustless) after the uniform application of chemical treatments to insure handler safety. Read More

Seed-applied Protectants

Seed-applied seed protectants protect the planted seed through the germination and stand establishment phase. Many of these offerings are restricted materials which means they are strictly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Targeted pests include common fungal diseases and invertebrate pests.

Seed-applied Plant Protectants

Seed-applied plant protectants are “Seed-applied Protectants” with punch. They extend the period of protection for up to 3 or four weeks after germinating. Seed-applied plant protectants commonly have systemic qualities which protects the germinating seed through establishment and into the early seedling phase.

Combinations

It’s quite common to mix, match, and combine the above technologies. Combining priming with pelleting is our widely requested grouping. We also combine priming and/or pelleting with seed applied plant protectants. Read More