Dust-off tests with: CruiserMaxx^® Vibrance^® Beans (left), Acceleron^® Standard (middle), Intego^® Suite (right)

When it comes to seed treatments, formulation is everything. It’s essential to ensure your seeds are fully coated and therefore protected from early-season pest threats. When seed treatments are poorly formulated, like many generic blends are, they don’t always distribute evenly or stick adequately to each seed. Instead, the seed treatments often fall off the seed and onto the ground, leaving your seeds extra vulnerable at the critical early-growth stage. This is called ‘dust-off.’

Seed World magazine recently held a Strategy Webinar about the importance of minimizing dust-off from seed treatments. Bruno Sornin, global lead for Seedcare stewardship at Syngenta, shared his insights on dust-off awareness and management.

Here are a few things you should know about dust-off:

• Dust-off concerns span the globe. Dust-off concerns in the U.S. began about 5 years ago, and stemmed from research developed in Europe. Seed chemical companies worldwide are conducting continuous research to mitigate this issue.
• Dust-off can affect your bottom line. When dust-off occurs, the seeds aren’t just losing their color – they’re losing important active ingredients that shield them from early-season insects and diseases. Since yield potential is greatest at the start of the season before soybeans are effected by stressors, losing this necessary layer of protection could cause your soybean yields to diminish.
• The size of your plot matters: Large plots have a higher risk of dust-off, especially during occasions of high winds. If you have large plots on your operation, ensure you’re taking the necessary precautions to reduce dust-off, including those regarding the seed treatment and equipment that you choose.
• Some treatments create more dust-off than others. Compared to seed treatments offered by Syngenta, competitive products are generally 2 to 10x dustier. Generic and custom blends are not engineered for high performance – they are often poorly formulated, causing product separation and reduced stability. This can result in buildup in treating and planting equipment, providing poor coverage on treated seeds and leaving dust on the ground during the treating and planting processes.
• Advancements are being made: Over the past few years, seed chemical companies have been funding research to develop improved seed treatment polymers that result in minimum amounts of dust. For more than 35 years, Syngenta Seedcare has led the way in seed treatment innovation and we’re continuing to advance our research to make even more improvements to reduce dust-off.

CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products, contains unique polymers that bind active ingredients to the seed. Its stable formulation reduces dust-off and improves seed flow, which ultimately helps to maximize plant stand.

Talk to your local Syngenta sales representative or visit the Syngenta seed treatment page to learn more about protecting your investment.

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