POLYMER SEED COATING ON SOYBEAN AND MAIZE FOR SEED QUALITY ENHANCEMENT AND BETTER EMERGENCE

摘要

Pre-sowing seed treatments such as coating and pelleting can be used to increase germination to get uniform stand and higher yields. Coating and pelleting improved physical properties of the seed for ease of handling for mechanization, permitted direct application of nutrients and growth regulators, reduced pesticide dusts on seeds, provided better protection against diseases. In a joint venture with the Division of Agricultural Chemicals, IARI, New Delhi, 6 polymers namely PVC, Rosin (natural product,) Lac, Ethyl Cellulose, Thermocol and PEG were tested for their efficacy in coating maize and soybean. The study indicated that PVC, Rosin (natural product), Lac and Ethyl Cellulose were very effective in maintaining the storage quality of the soybeanseeds for more than 7 months. The best polymer was Ethyl cellulose, which could retain the germination percent above 80% even after 7 months of storage in soybean whereas the control had only 49% germination. In maize also, polymer coating with Ethyl cellulose resulted in 96% germination after 7 months of storage, whereas it remained 89% in case of control. The corresponding field emergence and Vigor Index values were also higher in the seeds coated with Ethyl Cellulose