Seed Treatment Campaign
Campaign for promoting 100 percent Seed Treatment Practices among
Farmers
Concept
The concept of seed treatment involves the use of biological or chemical
agents to control or contain primary soil and seed borne infestation of
insects and diseases which affects crop productivity and crop production.
Presently, 70% requirement of seed is met from the farmers own stock
which is used for sowing without seed treatment.
Seed Treatment plays an important role in protecting the seeds and
seedlings from seed and soil borne diseases and insect pests affecting crop
emergence and its growth. However, many farmers in the country are either
not familiar with the practice or do not follow it. The practice of seed
treatment is also IPM compatible. The adoption of this practice by the
farmers across the country requires effective extension strategies making
the appropriate chemical pesticides/bio-pesticides and equipments available
to the farmers at their door steps beside making them aware of methods of
seed treatment, post treatment handling of seeds and planting materials. In
view of this, Government of India has decided to launch a countrywide
campaign for ensuring 100% seed treatment in all important crops during
coming kharif season. Pesticide industry associations, ATMAs, CIPMCs,
KVKs, farmers clubs, SAUs, NGOs, etc. can play an important role in the
campaign for 100 percent seed treatment.
In view of this there is needed to initiate the Seed Treatment Campaign
on war footing. This campaign is expected to ensure that no seeds of major
crops be sown without seed treatment by the farmers.
Seed
distribution/selling agencies should not sell the seeds without treatment.
Campaign coordination and monitoring committees are to be constituted at
State/District/Block level by the Commissioners/Directors of the State
Agriculture Departments to gear up the efforts by various agencies involved
in the programme. Awareness creation material is required to be prepared
and distributed among the farmers by various agencies involved in the
programme.
States/UTs are advised to identify the major kharif crops sown in their
States, quantity of seed required for each crop and quantity to be treated at
farmers level (excluding the seed sold by companies with seed treatment),
quantity of chemical pesticides (insecticides & fungicides) and bio-pesticides
required and their availability, number of seed dressing equipment required
and their availability etc. and plan for the Campaign. The broad seed
treatment practices in major crops are given below. This is only an
indicative, and each State is expected to modify to suit the local
conditions/crops within the recommended practices.
States are also requested to launch the Campaign and ensure promotion
of seed treatment practice. National Kharif Conference, held on 6th -7th
March, 2013 has also endorsed this Campaign.
How Seed Treatments are applied?
Seed treatment is a term that describes both products and processes.
The usages of specific products and specific techniques can improve the
growth environment for the seed, seedlings and young plants. Seed
treatment complexity ranges from a basic dressing to coating and pelleting.
(a) Seed Dressing
This is the most common method of seed treatment. The seed is dressed
with either a dry formulation or wet treated with a slurry or liquid
formulation. Dressings can be applied at both farm and industries. Low cost
earthen pots can be used for mixing pesticides with seed or seed can be
spread on a polythene sheet and required quantity of chemical can be
sprinkled on seed lot and mixed mechanically by the farmers.
(b) Seed Coating
A special binder is used with a formulation to enhance adherence to the
seed. Coating requires advanced treatment technology, by the industry.
(c) Seed Pelleting
The most sophisticated Seed Treatment Technology, resulting in
changing physical shape of a seed to enhance palatability and handling.
Pelleting requires specialized application machinery and techniques and is
the most expensive application.
Recommendation of seed treatment for major crops
S.
No.
Name of
Crop
Pest/Disease
Seed Treatment
Remarks
1
Sugarcane
Root rot, wilt
Carbendazim
(0.1%) For
seed
Trichoderma spp. 4-6 dressing
metal
seed
gm/kg. seed
dresser/earthern
pots
or
polythene bags
are used.
2
Maize
Soil & seed
borne disease
Trichoderma viride,T.
harzianium 4g/kg seed
-do-
3
Groundnut Stem rot, Seed
rot, Seedling
rot
Soil
application
of
caster cake @ 1000
kg/ha or Neem cake.
Seed
treatment
Trichoderma
viride
@4gm/kg seed.
-do-
4
Cotton
White grubs
Chlorpyriphos/
Quinalphos @ 2.5 to
12 ml/kg seed
Soil & Seed
borne
diseases,
Acid delenting should
be
followed
before
sowing @ one litre
commercial H2So4 for
10
kg.
seed.
Trichoderma
spp
4gm/kg seed. Captan
3g/kg
seed
Carbendazim
2g/kg
seed
-do-
Streptocycline 0.01%
dipping of seeds
-do-
Black arm
5
6
Rice
Chillies
Root rot
disease &
other
insects/pests
Trichoderma
5-10
gm/kg. seed (before
transplanting)
Chloropyriphos
30gm/10kg seed.
-do-
Root knot
nematode
Seed soaking in 0.2%
of monocrotophos for 6
hours
-do-
White tip
nematode
Seed soaking in 0.2%
solution
of
monocrotophos
-do-
Anthracnose
spp.
Pseudomonas
spp.
Seed treatment with
Soil borne
infection of
fungal disease
Trichoderma
viride
Trichoderma
harzianum @ 2 gm/kg.
seed.
Trichoderma
viride
4g/kg, Carbandazim @
1g/100 gm seed.
-do-
-do-
7
Pigeon pea
Wilt, Blight
seed
Trichoderma spp. @ 4 For
dressing
metal
gm/kg. seed
seed
dresser/earthern
pots
or
polythene bags
are used.
8
Pearl Millet
(Bazara)
Soil borne disease
Trichoderma harzianum
Maize
Soil borne diseases
9
For seed dressing
metal
seed
dresser/earthern pots
or polythene bags are
used.
T. viride @ 4 gm/kg seed.
Trichoderma harzianum
viride @ 4 gm/kg. seed.
T.
-do-
10
Sesame
Root rot disease,
Seedling blight,
Cercospora leaf
spot, Dry root rot,
Alternaria leaf
spot, Bacterial
blight, Bacterial
leaf spot
1. T. viride @ 4 gm/kg. seed.
2. Seed treatment with
Thiaram
2-2.25g/kg,
Agrimycin – 100(250 ppm) or
Streptocycline
suspension
0.05%
11
Sorghum
Soft borne
Trichoderma harzianum
viride @ 4 gm/kg. seed.
12
Pea
Root rot ,
White rot
Seed treatment with Bacillus
subtilis
Pseudomonas
fluoresgens Soil application @
2.5 – 5 kg in 100kg FYM or
Carbendazim or Captan 2
gm/kg. seed Trichchoderma
harziarum 4 gm/kg seed
Thiram+Carbendazim 2gm/kg
seed Carbendazim or Captan
2gm/kg seed
-do-
T. viride @ 2 gm/100gm.
seed. Benlate or Vitavax @
0.01%
-do-
Root knot
nematode Collar
Rot
Carbosulfan (25 ST) @ 30%
(w/w) Trichoderma viride @
2g/100g seed
-do-
13
14
Onion
Bhindi
Smut
T.
-do-
-do-
15
Tomato
Soil borne infection
of fungal disease
Early blight
Damping off
Trichoderma harzianum and For seed dressing
seed
T. viride @ 2 gm/100gm seed. metal
dresser/earthern pots
or polythene bags are
used.
16
Coriander
Wilt
Trichoderma
viride
Trichoderma harzianum @ 4
gm./kg seed.
-do-
Trichoderma
viride
Trichoderma harzianum @ 2
-do-
17
Brinjal
Soil borne infection
of fungal disease
gm/100gms. seed.
18
Cucurbits
Soil borne disease
Trichoderma viride
gm/100gms. seed.
19
Leguminous
Vegetables
Soil borne infection
Nematode
Trichoderma viride @ 2
gm/100gms.
seed.
Carbofuran/Carbosulfan 3%
(w/w)
-do-
Sunflower
Diseases
Trichoderma
viride,
Trichoderma harzianum @ 4
gm/kg seed.
-do-
20
21
Soybean
Seedling disease
22
Wheat
Termite
23
24
25
@
2
Rhizohium spp. and
Phosphate Solublizing
Bacteria (PSB) @ 5+5 gm/kg
seed
-do-
For seed dressing
metal seed dresser /
earthern pots or
polythene bags are
used
Teat the seed before sowing
with any one of the following
insecticides. i) Chlorpyriphos
@ 4 ml/kg seed or Endosulfan
@ 7ml / kg seeds
-do-
Soil / Seed borne
diseases
Seed treatment with
Trichoderma viridi , T.
harzianum @ 4 g / kg seeds
-do-
Cruciferous
vegetables
Soil / Seed borne
diseases
Seed treatment with
Trichoderma viridi @ 2 g /
100 g seeds
-do-
Gram
Root knot
nematode, Lesion
Nematode, Wilt
Seed treatment with
Trichoderma viridi , T.
harzianum @ 4 g / kg seeds
Combination of Carbendazim
with carbosulfan @ 0.2%
Carbendazim with Thiram
with carbosulfan @ 0.2%
Sorghum
26
Potato
Soil and Tuber
borne diseases
Seed treatment with MEMC
3% WS @ 0.25% or boric acid
3% for 20 minuts before
storage.