Seed treatment updates and tips

Two new seed treatments are on the market and I didn't have a chance to mention them in Grainews. They are Trilex AL for pulses and Rancona Apex for cereals.

Trilex AL from Bayer protects peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas and soybeans from seed and soil-borne diseases. Bayer says it works well with inoculants commonly used in pulse production. The active ingredients are trifloxystrobin, a Group 11 fungicide, and metalaxyl, a Group 4 fungicide.

Trilex AL will be available to growers for on-farm treatment for the 2009 growing season.

The Bayer release says: Trilex AL protects pulse seed and seedlings from economically significant diseases such as seed rot and damping-off caused by rhizoctonia solani, fusarium and pythium species, as well as root rot caused by phomopsis. It also protects against seed-borne diseases botrytis in lentils and phomopsis in soybeans. 

Rancona Apex from UAP

Rancona Apex contains the systemic and contact fungicide ipconazole, a seed-applied product that UAP says protects against a "broad spectrum" of seed and seedling diseases through a formulation "specifically designed" for wheat, barley, rye and oats.

The seed treatment is available this season for use by farmers in Western Canada. UAP has the Prairie marketing and distribution rights for the Chemtura product.

Rancona Apex protects wheat against true loose smut and fusarium seedling blight as well as foot rots. UAP said the new product shows "high efficacy" against a majority of seed and soil-borne fungi in the plant pathogenic fungal classes of zygomycetes, ascomycetes, basidiomycetes and fungi imperfect (deuteromycetes) which cause seed decay, damping-off and seedling blight.

Protect seeds going into damp and cool soils

North Dakota State University's extension service says less than ideal planting conditions (floods, waterlogged soils, cold temperatures) may challenge the establishment of crops. One common concern plant pathologists have in these conditions is the loss of stand and yield due to seedling blights and root rots, says an NDSU news release.

"If the soils become warmer, but are still wet, conditions favour infection by a number of other soil-borne fungi, such as the common root rot fungus on small grains and the fusarium and rhizoctonia root rot fungi of multiple crops. Reccurring wet conditions following germination and emergence also favour root rot development," says Marcia McMullen, North Dakota State University Extension Service plant pathologist.

The news report says many broad-spectrum seed treatment fungicides are available to protect against soil-borne fungi, as well as protect against seed-borne diseases. Many contain mefenoxam or metalaxyl fungicides that protect the seedling against water mold fungi, such a pythium or phytophthora. They also contain a triazole or strobilurin,that acts against most fungi other than the water molds.

"A product that contains a combination of chemicals with different targets (broad-spectrum seed treatment) generally is recommended under these disease-favouring conditions," says Sam Markell, NDSU Extension Service plant pathologist. "Otherwise, a mix of single-acting products may be needed. Some commercial products contain two or more of these fungicide."

Broad-spectrum products

The NDSU release lists these "broadest spectrum" fungicide seed treatments registered for wheat and barley: (Note this is a U.S. list. Canadian names might be slightly different)

Dividend (difenoconazole + mefenoxam), Cruiser Maxx (difenconazole +

mefenoxam + thiamethoxam insecticide), Raxil or Dyna Shield (tebuconazole + metalaxyl) and Charter PB (Triticonazole + thiram). All of these products

protect against multiple root rots, seedling blights and loose smut.

"In general, the response to the use of these seed treatments has resulted in stand improvements across a wide set of environmental conditions and wheat yield increases of two to six bushels on average," McMullen says. "Seed treatment costs vary, but range up to $2 per bushel depending on the manufacturer and disease spectrum of the product."