Coating of carrot seeds: 5 questions

1. Why do we treat our carrot seeds?

Seed treatment refers to the application of plant protection products directly on the seed to protect it from seed-borne and soil-borne pathogens. The time between planting and the first weeks after seedling emergence is the most vulnerable stage of plant development. Seed applied plant protection allows farmers to protect their crops during this stage.

2. Why do we coat our carrot seed?

Seed coatings are used to fixate the plant protection products onto the seed. A seed coating with good binding properties minimizes the loss of active ingredients, as it reduces dust-off.

The colorant in the seed coating helps differentiating treated and non-treated seeds and helps to improve seed visibility in the soil during planting.

3. How is seed coating done?

The seed coating products are mixed with water and the plant protection products. With a rotary seed coater, this liquid mixture is delivered onto the seeds as a mist of many small droplets. This is followed by a short drying step.

4. What about the dust-off from the treated seeds?

Dust can be released from treated seeds during seed handling, transport, and planting. It’s important to control dust-off to limit environmental exposure and improve working conditions of seed handlers and growers.