Wheat is one of the main staple food of man and is grown in almost all the temperate & subtropical regions of the world. Northern India is one of the important wheat growing region of India. Farmers are facing a problem of yield loss from seed-borne diseases and early season of pest incidence have been found to affect the growth and productivity of the wheat crop. Seed-borne pathogen present externally or internally is associated with the seed as a contaminant and may cause various diseases.

Benefits of seed treatment

Seed treatment provides the most targeted, effective, practical, cost-effective & environmental friendly approach to crop protection. It protects the crop from the moment of sowing & keeps on protecting it through the vital germination & early establishment stages. The active ingredient only covers the surface of each seed, so it is always located right where it is needed.

Challenges in seed treatment

Uniform seed treatment ensures the desired efficacy of seed treatment product. Farmers face challenges of uneven seed treatment, high cost of labour, shortage of labour and inconvenience while doing manual seed treatment. Through manual seed treatment, farmers are not able to realize the full potential of seed treatment product due to the inefficient coating of the product on seeds.

What is Bayer Doing?

Bayer Seed Growth is the “only” fully integrated system for the on-seed application of products, having Products, Services, Coatings and Equipment. Bayer CropScience India is providing seed treatment portfolio as well as service of mechanical seed treatment to wheat farmers in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Five years ago, Bayer has launched a seed treatment mechanization programme in these states by importing CF35 - automatic seed treatment machines from Bayer CropScience USA and also procured seed treatment machines locally, to enable wheat farmers to treat their seed with a proven fungicide – Raxil Easy.

What benefits are farmers getting ?

Farmers are getting benefitted in terms of efficient treatment of wheat seed, addressing the shortage of labour, the convenience of operation and saving of valuable time. The CF35 machine has proved to be a boon for the farmers who sow the farm-saved seed as the machine is made available at the village.

Promotion of seed treatment concept and mechanization of seed treatment?

Seed Treatment Demonstration Campaigns and farmers meetings are organised at villages, Agri Produce Market Yards and at the market place to create awareness about mechanized seed treatment. During these campaigns, farmers witness the working of CF35 – ease, speed and quality of treatment.

Also participating in Govt seed treatment campaigns and showing the benefits of mechanical seed treatment to create awareness about seed treatment among the farmers.

In rabi season of 2018, wheat growers in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan got benefitted from the service of CF35 machine and treated the seed for 250,000 acres. Farmers also treat seeds of crops like maize, rice and sorghum in kharif season using these machines.