The effects of surfactant and water volume on the coverage of the seed surface by a seed treatment formulation

摘要

An image analysis system has been developed (Maude, 2001) and used to determine the extent of treatment coverage on seed. The effects of varying application parameters on coverage have been investigated and a clear relationship between coverage and efficacy of a fungicidal seed treatment established. Equimolar concentrations of different types of surfactant (nonionic, anionic and silicone based) have significantly different effects on coverage and biological control Varying the concentration of surfactant also affects coverage and efficacy. Low surface tension and low contact angles give rise to improved wetting and spreading of the treatment on the seed surface. Where a seed treatment alone gives poor coverage of seed, this can be significantly improved by dilution / co-application with water. This correlates with significant improvements in biological control.