SeedVentures - Q & As

What are the benefits of coated canola seed?

INTRODUCTION

Canola (rape seed) makes up approximately 10% of the world’s total oil seed production and ranks fourth behind soybeans, sunflowers and palm oil in this respect. Canada is now the world’s leading producer of canola seed and this crop ranks second to wheat as the most important crop grown in Canada.

In view of the importance of the crop to the Canadian economy, it is not surprising that the many advantages available to the grower through the use of coated seed have been utilized in Canada since the early eighties when it became apparent that the seed which would benefit the most from seed coating was canola.

ADVANTAGES OF CHEMSEAL® AND CHEMGARD CANOLA SEED

Our unique Coating formulations have several advantages to offer canola seed growers:

l) By far the most important of these is that it is a safe, effective and economical method of seed treatment.

Secondary benefits include:

2) Some coatings offer the seedling an initial boost from the fertilizer contained within the coating.

3) Coated seed removes the need to "bulk" seed prior to sowing, thus ensuring better control of your seeding rate but still allowing you to seed at the same rate as bare seed.

1) CHEMICAL TREATMENTS

To help ensure maximum yield, chemical treatment of canola seed is essential. The most suitable chemicals available are those "combination products" which contain both insecticides (for flea beetle control) and fungicides for control of fungal diseases such as Blackleg.

In the past, there have been several problems associated with chemical treatment of canola seed. These include:

a) Methods of Application:

Conventional treaters can "miss" a significant portion of the seed as it passes through the drum. Also, once the seed treatment has been applied, it dries and is then able to "dust off" the seed, thus becoming less effective - coating overcomes both these problems.

1) During the coating process, flowable formulations of seed treatment are used by thoroughly mixing them with a liquid polymer. In order to be coated, every seed must be completely covered by the polymer, which contains the required seed treatment. Thus we can be 100% certain that if the seed is coated, it must contain the polymer and consequently any seed treatment that has been combined with the polymer.

2) The outside of the coat is sealed by a second polymer layer, which ensures that the seed treatment is contained within the coat and that it is virtually impossible for it to "dust off".

b) Human Toxicity Factors:

The second problem alleviated by the use of seed coating is the possibility of accidental poisoning during the seed treatment application process. Coated seed ensures that the farmer does not come into direct contact with the seed treatment either during the treating process or during seeding. The distinctive coating around the seed prevents all direct contact with the seed treatment and also acts as a "marker" ensuring the seed will not inadvertently be used for food or feed.

c) Shelf Life:

Germination trials on canola seed show that seed treatments applied in the Chemseal® and Chemgard processes have no significant detrimental effect on the seed.

2) SEEDING RATES

Many growers seed at higher rates than necessary simply because canola seed is very small and many drills are not suitable for this type of seeding work. Coating increases the size of the seed, making control of the seeding rate simpler and removing the necessity to "bulk" the seed.

As coated seed contains as much as 8% coating materials and 92% seed, many growers may be tempted to increase the seeding rate compared to their bare seed rate. This is not necessary. Many trials have concentrated on seeding rate comparisons. The recommended seeding rate in most locations is from five to seven pounds per acre, however, lighter seeding rates are recommended where drought is a hazard.

3) COST

Provided seeding rates used remain the same as with bare seed, the cost of using Chemseal® canola seed will be about the same as chemically treated bare seed.


Canola seedlings from bare seed	Canola seedlings from coated seed

DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

Since coated canola seed was first released in commercial quantities in 1982 its acceptance has been nothing short of phenomenal with an estimated 85% of the certified, treated canola seed used in Canada being coated in one form or another. Canadian canola growers now accept the fact that in the majority of cases a coated seed product containing 92% or more seed will result in improved establishment, which can translate into increased yields. However the most important factor in the acceptance of Chemseal® and Chemgard is the protection the coating offers growers in that the seed treatment is safely sealed within the coating ensuring that grower’s exposure to it (especially from "dusting off") is significantly reduced. This factor alone will keep coated canola usage at its present levels or greater for many years to come.