Seed Coatings

[BSH]

Wonder what peoples experience of different seed coatings is? Are seed coatings with insecticedes an issue in terms of getting the seed off to a good start/do they kill soil biology? What about some of the fertiliser type coatings? Speaking to some of the French visitors to Kinsey they said they had had mixed and inconclusive results with some starter fert type dressings. Is there a concensus on this? Are most not bothering with anything?

 

[Steevo]

Wonder what peoples experience of different seed coatings is? Are seed coatings with insecticedes an issue in terms of getting the seed off to a good start/do they kill soil biology? What about some of the fertiliser type coatings? Speaking to some of the French visitors to Kinsey they said they had had mixed and inconclusive results with some starter fert type dressings. Is there a concensus on this? Are most not bothering with anything?

Have tried both phosphate and zinc seed dressings. There's certainly a benefit to both in that the crop jumps up a day or so earlier than non-treated which looks good, but I've never seen it translated into yield, or a better crop. Hard to measure that though as there are so many variables that follow germination.
After the seminar you could see how a dressing would have the boost effect initially, but once it gets its root system out i think it catches back up again on the untreated.

 

[SilliamWhale]

I'd be inclined to leave it to mother nature

 

[Elmsted]

Have and do use most or many. Starter bits as plant food or growth stimulants. Agree not seen yeild benefit. But can help when in drought or other less than ideal seedbeds.

Do use Gaucho on nigh on most crops. Do not see the widely announced by the French downsides as an explanation for their sick bee syndrome.

 

[Clive]

I used Steve Townsends maxi-phi dressing this year and it seems to have done job despite adverse conditions

Not a great year to really quantify the benefit though

 

[Steevo]

They certainly help, but I can't say they pay for themselves....especially given the high margins on them. If you found a way to DIY it for minimal cost then I think it would be a no-brainer.