Every farmer’s dream is to look out at a robust, healthy field of crops, knowing the return will be just as healthy. Caring for crops is no small feat, as everyone in the agriculture industry knows. It involves quite a bit of math and science combined with years of trial and error and nurturing soil, seeds, and plants until you get it all just right. While the learning process is necessary and in a way never ends, you still want to get the best results you can the first time around, because your time is your money. That’s why we at Woofter Construction have some tips on seed treating to get the most out of your seed efforts and yield a large supply of vibrant crops in the years to come.
- Start with your equipment. There are many different types of seed treaters on the market, and a pressurized system often produces better results than a drip system. We at Woofter Construction recommend USC® seed treaters. We carry a range of commercial, portable, tabletop, or u-batch seed treaters that are known for their quality, ease-of-use, and advanced capabilities to make your job easier and seed efforts go faster.
- Calculate the right rates. To do this, you’ll need to know the rate of flow of your seed and the flow rate of your treatment. Once you’ve figured this out, reference back to your desired treatment rate or combined rates. Adjust rates according to grain weight for better accuracy.
- Don’t neglect coverage. The amount of coverage you’re able to get is essential. If you’re not getting good coverage currently, try secondary mixing right after the treatment has been applied using an auger or conveyor.
- Keep an eye on the temperature. Temperature affects coverage. If external temperatures are fluctuating, recalculate your flow rate. Seed that is cold should also be warmed up before application. Frozen seed or trying to apply seed when temperatures are cold likely isn’t going to go well. You may end up with flash freezing of the treatment.
- Test your seed first. When done well, seed treatments can offer good control, but if you do a simple seed test before treating, you’ll know what to expect. A seed test, including a complete fungal scan, can help you decide if a seed treatment will provide enough protection. You may find out at this point that another seed source will be necessary.
- Have contact with system activity. To control diseases, you need to be in contact with system activity. Ensuring you use proper rates and get good coverage with the seed treatment that provides both is essential.
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