Before planting wheat seed, farmers evaluate the seed quality. Experts suggest that farmers treat wheat seed in several ways before planting the seed. Farmers must decide which treatments to undertake for their particular wheat seed. Some wheat seed demonstrates susceptibilities to certain problems that others do not. This is based on the wheat's growing and harvest times, seed storage time and conditions, and the history of the ground. Experts offer several suggested methods of treating wheat seed to ensure proper growth and a good yield.
Instructions
1. Check whether the wheat seed comes from a wheat seed dealer or from a farmer. "Farmer saved seed" refers to seed which a farmer kept in a bin. Among other problems farmer saved seed may contain contamination from loose smut, Septoria or head scab. Treat wheat seed with a fungicidal seed treatment (e.g. Dividend Extreme, Raxil-Thiram or RaxilXT) which is not expensive. This fungicide can reduce the risk of contamination.
2. Treat wheat seed for stripe rust, a yellow powdery pustule which can erupt on the wheat's leaves, with Alphaflo, Foliarflo-C or Maxiflo. Wheat seed should receive early preventative treatment against stripe rust as the disease, if allowed to erupt, can spread easily and widely throughout the field. Maxiflo also serves as an effective wheat seed treatment for Take-all disease, a disease which attacks the roots of the wheat plant and disrupts its growth.
3. Protect wheat seed against insect damage if storing the seed for more than six weeks. Weevils, grain borers, meal moths, flour beetles and other insects can damage wheat. Cypermethrin, triflumuron, dryacide, dichlorvos or phosphine will control these insects, killing the adults and subsequently killing the larvae when they hatch and start feeding off the grain. Other non-chemical treatments for wheat seed to prevent insect damage are to cool stores of grain or to control the atmosphere with carbon dioxide.
Tags: wheat seed, insect damage, saved seed, seed treatment, stripe rust
