Give crops a boost from the beginning

Optimising plant health from day one – by boosting seeds rather than treating plants – is key to building resilience in crops and agricultural systems, advises Stuart Sutherland, technical manager at Interagro.

“This last year alone has demonstrated just how tricky it is becoming to predict optimal planting times and manage crops effectively.

“While they may not directly impact climate resilience, biostimulants applied to the seed are becoming increasingly valuable components of a broader strategy for building stronger, healthier more resilient plants better able to cope through the entire growing cycle,” continues Stuart.

“Their ability to help speed up emergence, enhance rooting and produce a more resilient competitive plant better able to fend for itself, should not be under-estimated,” he says.

“There were so many instances last autumn where growers could not get back into the field after drilling to apply herbicide and nutrition, increasing the vulnerability of seedlings to weed, pest and disease competition early, not to mention the stressful conditions that followed.”

Applying a biostimulant seed dressing that can help seedlings emerge faster and produce a deep expansive root system from the get-go, will help crops compete against difficult weeds and improve their ability to access available nutrition in the soil.

A recent biostimulant to the market, but which has demonstrated proven benefits in the field, is Interagro’s seed treatment, Newton.

Managing the balance of growth promoting hormones versus growth inhibiting hormones, Newton contains plant signalling peptides that not only stimulates faster germination, it also signals exceptional root and shoot growth and the defence systems of plants.

“With the help of research experts, seed customers and farmers we have developed extensive evidence on the merits of Newton, such as two days faster germination, up to 2.5 days faster emergence over naked seed, and four to five days faster emergence over single purpose dressing – it doesn’t sound a lot but buying plants an extra couple of days faster establishment time can prove vital when it comes to a competitive edge and the weather.

“The research also shows Newton to be one of the strongest biostimulants on the market in terms of its rooting ability – a crucial contributing factor to the improved nutrient uptake, frost heave resilience, and drought resilience growers are benefitting from on-farm.

“All this helps achieve more consistent yields under challenging growing conditions and means farmers can plant with greater confidence,” says Stuart.

“It can be co-applied with naked seed or co-applied with a chemical or nutritional dressing, and being non-microbial, means it will last on the seed if drilling gets delayed and you need to over-year – there’s no risk of decay like a microbial dressing would do,” adds Stuart. “Just ask your seed merchant for Newton or ask your mobile seed treater to apply it like you would a traditional seed treatment.”

For more information visit the Interagro website

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