b'TREATING PULSESTips for Successfully Treating Pulse CropsA one-size-fits-all approach to treating seed doesnt work for pulse crops.ALTHOUGH THEYRE often lumped together, the seeds ofSeed treatment on wet seed can be lost on the surface of the pulse crops are unique. Yellow peas, lentils, dry beans andauger as it moves, which means youre not going to get what chickpeas may be challenged by many of the same soil- andyoure paying for.seed-borne diseases, but how you protect them varies fromAdding or removing products from the mix can also change crop to crop. A one-size-fits-all approach doesnt work for pulsetreatment consistency, and, therefore, how much drying time is crops. Application strategies differ, depending on shape, textureneeded. and size. Two industry experts offer tips and recommendationsEverybody wants the agronomic benefit of a micro, or for getting the most out of your seed treatment. something like that, on the seed, and thats fine, says Petruic. Realize its not just throw it on and go.Understanding Size, Shape and TextureSeed treatments adhere to seed very differently, dependingHandle with Careon size, shape and texture, explains Bayer SeedGrowthPulse crop seed coats tend to be a bit more fragile too, which Specialist Nicholas Petruic. Lentils, for example, can have ameans they need to be handled with care and as infrequently as dry, flaky surface, while beans and peas can have a smooth,possible. glass-like surface.Using things like conveyors help if youre handling dry seed, Seed size also impacts application rates, says Petruic. Trilexsays Petruic. And what weve found is when you can put a EverGol has a standard application rate of 328 millilitres perliquid seed treatment on prior to handling it with a flighted 100 kilograms of seed, but if you were to try to apply justauger, it greatly reduces the amount of cracking that will that amount of rate across a large kabuli chickpea seed yourhappen.coverage would be very, very poor, he says. In hindsight, ifCracks, he adds, act as gateways to disease. Its like an open you took that same amount of volume and applied it to a smalldoorway, he says. If you have a crack on that seed, but youre red lentil, you actually could be over-applying and have too wetable to fill it with seed treatment, its like closing the door.of a seed. To further ensure seed quality at the time of planting, handle Its a fine balance of understanding seed wetness to seedseed as few times as possible. Following a tough harvest, seed coverage, he adds. Generally, treating pulses is trial and errorcoats can be very brittle. Even applying a little water before on your farm, and having an adaptable productsomethingmoving them will help the integrity of the seed, says Petruic. He that can be manipulated very easilywill help you achieve therecommends using conveyors on low speed where and when best results. you can. Seed shape and texture also impact coverage. Chickpeas, for example, have deep crevices on the seeds surface, whichKeep an Eye on Temperaturecan make complete coverage a challenge. They require aWhen warm liquid is applied to seed that is too cold, flash-lot more water volume when mixing product to get goodfreezing can occur. Flash-freezing will give very poor coverage. coverage, says Petruic. Ice crystals will form on the surface of the seed, and the seeds wont get the smooth coverage necessary for proper protection. Ensure Treatment is Dry before Seeding As seed moves through the auger, friction can remove the ice Seeds that require extra coverage will need more solution tocrystals, which means seed will be left untreated. increase the application rate, but they do not require moreIf youve got seed in the bin with an aeration fan and you can active ingredient, Petruic clarifies. Because more volume iswarm that seed up prior to treating, great, says Petruic. needed for adequate coverage, sometimes seed requires moreHe recommends raising seed temperature to somewhere drying time.between 3 and 5 C. If you dont do that, it can cause you challenges when trying to put wet seeds through an air drill, he says. By allowing itEven the Best Seed Needs Protectionlonger time, the moisture actually moves inside the seed and itIts always recommended to plant the best seed possible, but will dry on the seeds surface. even good seed needs protection. However, high-quality seed 36seed.ab.ca'