Concept of Seed Treatment

The concept of seed treatment is the use and application of biological and chemical agents that control or contain primary soil and seed borne infestation of insects and diseases which pose devastating consequences to crop production and improving crop safety leading to good establishment of healthy and vigorous plants resulting better yields

    The benefits of seed treatment are as follows:

• Increased germination

• Ensures uniform seedling emergence,

• Protect seeds or seedlings from early season diseases and insect pests improving crop

          emergence and its growth.

• Use of plant growth hormones may enhance crop performance during the growing

        season.

• Rhizobium inoculation enhances the nitrogen fixing capability of legume crops, and their

        productivity.

• Improved plant population and thus higher productivity.

Present Scenario          

Presently, 70% requirement of seed is met from the farmer’s own stock which go for sowing without seed treatment. Even if seed is sourced from the private or public sector agencies, except hybrid seeds, large percentage of such seed is untreated. The estimates reveal that on an average, 80% of the seed sown in the country is untreated, as against the 100% seed treatment practice in developed countries.  Seed treatment not only protects the seeds from seed and soil borne diseases but also gives protection to the emerged seedlings from sucking insect pests affecting crop emergence and its early growth. However, many farmers in the country are neither familiar with the practice nor follow it. The practice of seed treatment is also IPM compatible.

However, seed treatments should not be considered as a cure for all maladies for the selection of poor/unhealthy seed lots. For example, treatment of seeds with excessive mechanical damage or other damages or seeds kept in poor storage conditions, or genetic differences in a variety will not increase seed germination.

The Campaign Launched for the Kharif 2007 , has made good progress in number of crops and States. However, there is a long way for achieving 100% seed treatment.

Campaign for 100% Seed Treatment during Rabi, 2007         

Keeping in view of the importance of seed treatment to achieve better crop stand of major crops, and the fact that many farmers in the country do not follow/adopt this practice, adoption of seed treatment by the farmers across the country require effective extension strategies and making the appropriate chemical/bio- products available to the farmers at their doorstep. The farmers also required to be trained/made aware of the methods of seed treatment, post treatment- handling of the seeds and planting materials. Government of India has therefore launched a country wide campaign for ensuring 100% seed treatment in all important crops during coming Rabi season. Pesticide industry associations, ATMAs, CIPMCs, KVKs, Farmers Clubs, SAUs, NGOs, etc.can play an important role in the campaign for 100% seed treatment and hence their participation is solicited.

Approach for the Campaign           

Broad approach for the campaign is given below.  States may adopt measure locally suitable for achieving 100% Seed Treatment in the Rabi Crops.

• Preparation of crop wise, region wise seed treatment practices by the State Departments.  State departments may understand the existing practices, type and extent of seed treatment adopted to find the gaps.  Evolve, a plan for covering the total area under important crops with 100% seed treatment. The plan must contain the strategies to be adopted to reach all the farmers, time lines to do the campaign, availability of fungicides/insecticides/bioagents and likely support that can be given to the farmers under the existing schemes.

• Convene the Campaign Coordination Committee already constituted at state level under the chairmanship of Commissioner, Agriculture and convener being the AD/PPO of concerned CIPMC of the State. The SAUs will also be involved in this programme.

• Convene District Level Coordinating Committee under the chairmanship of the DM/District Collector and Joint Director Agriculture being the convenor, with participation of all the agencies of agriculture, at district level.

• Preparation of awareness creation material like posters, pamphlets and planning training programmes to department officials, farmers, etc.

• Consultation with pesticide industry and involve them in arranging the pesticides/bioagents and seed treatment machinery and adopt specific areas by each company. They may also prepare a documentary for publicity through digital media.

• Involve ATMAs, KVKs, Farmers clubs of commercial banks/NABARD and other farmer’s organizations and State departments in the campaign.

• Launch the campaign through mass media, print media to cover the selected crops.  Utilize mass media, especially Doordarshan and All India Radio through discussions, interviews and display of small programmes on methods of seed treatment and its benefits. The support under the Central Sector Scheme “Mass Media Support to Agriculture Extension” may be utilised for this purpose. The States may make use of the Regional/Narrowcasting DD Kendras and FM Kisan Vani Stations for this purpose.  The experts from the CIPMC, State Agriculture Department, State Agriculture Universities should be encouraged to participate in these programmes.

• Arrange seed treatment machines in each village or groups of villages during the pre-sowing season so that all farmers can get their seed treated.  Pesticide Industry can be roped in for this purpose.

• Printing and distribution of publicity material with the help of the industry so as to reach the message to all Panchayats of the State.  Display of posters and slides in the theatres about the campaign and requesting the farmers to join in the campaign.

• Inaugurating the campaign at the State level and district level by a VIP so as to give wide publicity to the campaign and take the message to the farmers.

• Arranging training in CIPMCs / other training institutions of the Agriculture Departments and Panchayatraj institutions and senior officers of educational institutions so as to facilitate to carry the message to the filed/farmers.  Involvement of the School/College Directorates to communicate the message through the school/college children in every village can be an effective campaign mode.

• Ensuring through, seed production agencies/certification agencies, supply of 100% treated seeds.

• Close monitoring of the activities of the campaign with reference to base line and documenting the activities that have been undertaken and the effect of the campaign in terms of increase in the seed treatment application by the farmers.

• Kisan Call Centres can be used for spreading the message. All farmers who contact the KCC should be asked about the seed treatment and recommend to them to go for seed treatment.

Selected Crops for the Campaign

Following crops have been prioritised for achieving 100% Seed Treatment

            Wheat

            Chickpea (Gram)

            Mustard

            Peas/Pulses

            Potato

            Sugarcane

            Barley

The States may include more crops depending on cropping pattern in the state.  The objective is to achieve 100% Seed Treatment in the selected crops. 

 No seed shall be sown without seed treatment.