Polymer Seed Coating WHY USE COLOURANTS ON SEED? SEED COATING POLYMER EQUATION SEED FILM COAT TECHNOLOGY – AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH STEPS IN POLYKOTE FILM COATING VALUE ADDED SEED SEED FILM COATING AND SEED PELLETING Review on polymer seed coating

1. POLYMER SEED COATING
K.VANANGAMUDI
Formerly Dean (Agri.), TNAU
Dean, Adhiparasakthi Agricultural College, Kalavai
Professor & Head, Seed Science & Technology
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

2. INTRODUCTION
Agriculture – Industry
Major input – Seed
The need of this hour is not only a quality seed, but also
sustainable productivity and production
This changed the strategy of seed industry –
competition - survive
Focus on – value added products
Seed colourants
Need based formulations
Seed polymers

3. Pre-requisite for a good crop
 High quality seed with better germination
 High vigour
 Good seed health
Farmers Interest
 Safe, environmentally sound and scientifically
proven practices
Most effective method
 Applying crop protection agents directly to the
seed instead of spraying and can be incorporated
as a film coat layer.
Direct contact with seed More response

4. SEED COATING
 Substance applied to the seed that doesn’t obscure its shape
Major benefits of seed coating
 Seed enhancement material is placed directly on to the seed
 Smaller amount of chemicals are needed as compared to
broadcasting or surface dressing on to the growing medium
 It improves the seed performance

5. SEED COATING POLYMERS
 Many companies are involved in seed coating polymer
production
 Readily available in the in the market in different brand
names
 Different colours – Pink, red, green , yellow, blue , black
 Colours – Specific to crops

6. “Seed Coat”- COLOURANTS FOR COTTON

7. WHY USE COLOURANTS ON SEED?
 Identifying treated seed - prevent accidental consumption
 Differentiating seed from competitor – marketing Strategy
 Unlimited options to uniquely branding technology.
 Identifying unique seed technologies - segregate technologies.
Eg.Herbicide treated seeds or Variety differentiation (A / B line)
 Seed Enhancement - Improving plantability, stand establishment,
seed flow in seed planters, etc.

8.  Uniform distribution of the pesticides on the seeds.
 Prevents the dusting off chemicals by strong binding
capacity
 Reduces pollution of pesticides at the processing plant and
also at farm level
 Freeze sensitive seed coatings - useful for fall planting in
cold climates
 User friendly and environmentally safer technology

9. SEED COATING POLYMER EQUATION
Three Parts
1. Right products
2. Right equipment
3. Right application process

10. SEED FILM COAT TECHNOLOGY – AN INNOVATIVE
APPROACH
 Enhances seed growth and productivity.
 Most sophisticated seed treatment delivery systems available
in the world today - far more than merely coating seeds.
 A total package for todays competitive business environment –
a broad based knowledge of seed technology, seed physiology,
interaction between seed protectants, an engineering-based
proficiency of the high performance coating processes.
 Main purpose is to produce a seed of the best quality, and
ultimately a good crop.

11. Commercial Formulations
polymer + colouring pigments + binder + a.i
(Eg. - SmartCote, Seedkare)
Seed coating/ seed film coating
Value added seed
STEPS IN POLYKOTE FLIM COATING

12. VALUE ADDED SEED

13.  Application of a Very thin
coating layer of seed protectants /
nutrients / bio inoculants on to the
seed.
Put in place, where they are
needed i.e. around the emergence of
seedling.
Minimal increase in weight of
treated seeds.
uncoated film coated pelleted
SEED FILM COATING AND SEED PELLETING ?

14. COMMERCIAL FORMULATIONS IN MARKET
N-Hance: containing specially selected micro-nutrients and
macro-nutrients for difficult soil conditions.
N- Rich: rich concentration of specifically isolated strains of
rhizobia for maximizing nitrogen fixation.

15. Grasscote - Pasture Grass & Turf
Features
Fluffy florets, awns and appendages.
 Flexible coating material bends with
the seed.
 Thiram fungicide as standard.
Benefits
 Smooths fluffy grass florets to prevent clumping.
 Increases seed weight for accurate delivery.
 Unique coating material flexes with seed to reduce breaking.
 A range of bright colours to assist identification in the field.
 Enhanced protection from detrimental fungal attack .

16. Flowcote Carrot
Features
 200% build up Encrusting in a
wide range of colours and
finishings.
 Smooth, low-dust coating.
 Powerful fungicide partnership as
standard - Thiram, Metalaxyl-M.
Benefits
 Smooths the carrot seed "beard" and appendages for
significantly better flow from bag
 Increases seed weight for accurate delivery.
 A range of bright colours to assist identification in the field.
 Enhanced protection from detrimental fungal attack.

17. Polycote – Horticultural
Features
 Increases seed flowability, reduces
static and clumping.
 Your choice of fungicides
customised for your situation.
 Thiram fungicide included as
standard.
Benefits
 A range of bright colours to assist identification in the field and
reduces the risk of batch mix-up.
 Precise, even application of chemicals and colour.

18. COMBINATION OF TREATMENTS
 Polymer and colourant products added to the
standard
slurry treatment.
 Compatible with fungicides and insecticides commonly
used
in seed treatment.
 Polymer products can be used at near full strength or can
be
diluted to 1 - 4 parts water plus seed treatment chemicals.
 Contain excellent surfactants and spreaders.
 Have a very quick drying time.

19. PAST WORK

20. INFLUENCE OF SEED COATING POLYMER ON VIGOUR
AND YIELD POTENTIAL
COTTON
 Seed coated with penthiuran and polymer
Initially inhibited the activity of catalase and peroxidase and
rate of seedling growth.
Later stimulated them.
Ruban et al. (1983)

21. 
Coating fuzzy cotton seed with Easiflo polymer and fungicide.
Did not significantly affect
Germination
Emergence
But increases the flowability and precision planting
Williams et al. (1999)

22. SORGHUM
Pelleted with polymer film coating, fungicides and growth
regulator
Sown
 Registered normal germination
 Accelerated crop maturity by 9 - 21 days
 Increased yields compared with untreated seeds
Markrov (1987)

23.  Seeds treated with 10g of hydrophilic polymer / kg
improved
Joshi et al. (1998)
Seed germination
Emergence rate
at the lowest available soil
moisture level
}

24. LUCERNE
Polymer film coating, fungicides and micronutrients
registered
Good germination energy
Germination percent
Konstantinov and Kolarova (1988)

25. GREENGRAM
Seed plus 1.875 ml of polymer / kg
increased
Plant height
Number of branches
Drymatter accumulation
Pods/m2
Seed yield
Harvest index
Seed plus polymer at 1.25 ml and 5g /kg respectively
increased
1000 seed weight
seeds per pod Kajal Sengupta et al. (2001)

26. SOYABEAN
Polymer coatings A and C
 Emerged about one and two weeks later than the uncoated
seed, respectively.
 Plant stand measurements one week after sowing were not
significantly different among the treatments.
Prochaska (2001)

27. Biodegradable polymer seed coating
Permits Farmers to sow soybean between rows of
standing wheat in late spring, when wheat is
less vulnerable to trampling by machinery.
Delays 1. Soybean germination for about two weeks
a period that accommodates the wheat
harvest.
2. Leaves enough time of produce a good
yield before a killing frost
Tony Vyn (2000)

28. Hydrophilic polymer (Vinamul 3650) coating @ 24 mg
 Regulated the rate of water uptake
 Reduced imbibition damage
 Improved percentage germination and seedling
emergence
Chachalis and Smilth (2001)

29. EFFECT OF FILM COATING ON FIELD EMERGENCE OF
THE SEEDLINGS
Phalaris aquatica Coated with monocalcium
phosphate suffered little
emergence injury
Medicago sativa Damaged during emergence
But, coating seeds with polymer prior to Substantial protection
applying the monocalcium phosphate against injury
Scott (1991)

30. POLYMER + FUNGICIDE TREATMENT
Polymer applied alone No significant influence on emergence
rate of either high or low vigour
seeds in comparison with untreated
control
Emergence rate index of seeds
Final emergence
Seedling height
Rivas et al (1998)
Increase
Captan + Certop
(Polymer)

31. POLYMERS - ACTING AS A TEMPERATURE SWITCH
Intellicoat polymer coatings
 Provide protection to hybrid corn seed under cold stress
conditions
 Acts as a physical barrier
 Slows down water uptake of corn seeds at low temp to
alleviate chilling damage to the seedling in early spring.
 Coated seed retain its viability for a normal stand
establishment for 2 to 3 weeks at 50C in near saturated soil,
while uncoated seed shows significant stand loss under the
same condition.

32. POLYMER FILM COATING - HEALTH POTENTIAL
OF SEEDS
 Seeds coated with Fipronil and Imidacloprid
Control thrips on seed bed for 12 weeks and 13 weeks after transplanting
 Fipronil + Diflubenzuron + Imidacloprid + Teflubenzuron
Control of larvea of the onion fly
Ester et al. (2001)
 Film coating with Cercospora minitans onto infected sunflower seeds
decreased the germination of conidia
Whipps et al. (2001)

33. CASE STUDIES

34. Treatments
Germination
(%)
DMP
(g)
Vigour
index
To-Control 94 1.696 3335
T1- Little’s red polykote@6g
dissolved in 25 ml of water/kg of
seeds
97 1.768 3672
T2-T1+ Imidachloprid@1ml/kg of
seeds
96 1.982 3942
T3-T1+Carbendazim @2g/kg of
seeds
96 1.827 3799
T4-T1+Imidachloprid@1ml+
Carbendazim @2g/ kg of seeds
97 1.870 3861
T5- T1+Imidachloprid@1ml+
Carbendazim @2g+Micronutrient
mixture(Agromin)@4ml/ kg of seeds
98 2.001 4110
Polykote technology - Maize hybrid COH (M) 5
Suresh vegula, 2008
 Germination increases by 4%
 Vigour increases by 23 %

35. Suresh vegula, 2008
Performance of Red polykote coated seeds in maize hybrid
seeds COH (M) 5 in germination

36. T0 - Fuzzy seed (Control)
T1 - Fuzzy seed + Polykote @ 3 g kg-1
T2 - Fuzzy seed + Carbendazim @ 2 g
kg-1 + Imidacloprid @ 2 ml kg-1
T3 - T1 + Carbendazim @ 2 g kg-1 +
Imidacloprid + Pseudomonas
fluorescens @ 10 g kg-1 Azophos
@ 120 g kg-1
T4 - Fuzzy seed+Carbendazim
+Imidacloprid SD @ 5g kg-1
T5 -T1+Carbendazim + Imidacloprid
SD + Pseudomonas fluorescens
+ Azophos
Fuzzy seed germination increases by 12 %
Praveena , 2005
Treatment Germination (%)
T0 77 (61.34)
T1 85 (67.45)
T2 81 (63.79)
T3 89 (70.26)
T4 81 (64.45)
T5 89 (71.00)
Polykote coated fuzzy cotton seeds MCU 12

37. Treatment Germination (%)
T6 79 (62.86)
T7 86 (68.02)
T8 82 (64.97)
T9 91 (72.24)
T10 83 (65.80)
T11 92 (73.36)
T6 - Delinted seed; T7 -Delinted seed +
Polykote @ 3 g kg-1
T8 - Delinted seed+Carbendazim
+Imidacloprid
T9 - T7 + Carbendazim + Imidacloprid +
Pseudomonas fluorescens+ Azophos
T10 - Delinted seed+ Carbendazim +
Imidacloprid
T11 - T7 + Carbendazim + Imidacloprid SD +
Pseudomonas fluorescens + Azophos
13 % increase in delinted seed germination
Praveena , 2005
Polykote coated delinted cotton seeds MCU 12

38. Treatments
(T)
Germination (%)
Water holding capacity (%)
30 40 50 60 70 80 Mean
T1
21 (27.27) 58 (49.61) 84 (66.43) 86 (68.04) 84 (66.43) 66 (54.34) 67 (55.35)
T2
34 (35.67) 66 (54.34) 88 (69.75) 89 (70.65) 87 (68.88) 70 (56.79) 72 (59.35)
T3
40 (39.23) 70 (56.79) 90 (71.59) 92 (73.60) 89 (70.65) 70 (56.79) 75 (61.44)
T4
39 (38.65) 72 (58.06) 89 (70.65) 92 (73.60) 90 (71.59) 76 (60.67) 76 (62.20)
T5
42 (40.40) 72 (58.06) 91 (72.57) 91 (72.57) 89 (70.65) 75 (60.01) 77 (62.38)
Mean
35 (36.24) 68 (55.37) 88 (70.20) 90 (71.69) 88 (69.64) 71 (57.72) 73 (60.14)
Performance of polykote coated brinjal hybrid (COBH 1) seeds on germination
T1 - Uncoated control; T2 - Dry coating @ 3g polykote kg-1 of seed; T3 - Slurry coating of
polykote @ 3g dissolved in 5ml of water kg-1 of seed; T4 - T2 + bavistin @ 2g kg-1 of seed; T5 -
T2 + halogen mixture @ 3g kg-1 of seed
Rajasekaran, 2004

39. POLYKOTE ON MAIZE cv CO 1
Pink polykote - Supplied from the Little’s Balm
Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Chennai
Physiological characters
Pink polykote @ 3g / kg of seed
Improved the germination and seedling vigour
Storage Potential
 Pink polykote @ 3g/kg of seed + Thiram 2g +
Imidacloprid 1ml
 Maintained higher germination potential and vigour
over a period of 4 months storage

44. Seed coating polykote on Maize germination: Petriplate method
Uncoated
Dry dressing Slurry treatment

45. Uncoated
Dry dressing
Slurry treatment
Early and rapid germination

46. Seed coating polykote on Maize germination: Inclined plate method
Slurry
Uncoated

47. Uncoated
Slurry treatment
Early germination & high
seedling vigour
Seed coating polykote on Maize germination: Inclined plate method

49. FUTURE THRUST
Since very few studies are available on polymer coating in
major crops it can be extended to various agricultural,
horticultural and forestry seeds.
Seed certification – Hinders visual examination of off type
seeds based on colour
It is necessary to evaluate the shelf life of coated seeds.
Natural dyes as colourants – Organic seed
Formulations – Private seed companies – efficacy has to be
evaluated before marketing.
Evaluate / Estimate the chemistry of the polykote.