Seed treatment technologies: Effects on physical, functional, and physiological seed quality

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Agronomy
• Seed Technology

Background:

• Seed treatment is vital for crop establishment, protecting seeds from pests and pathogens.
• Chemical formulations, while protective, can induce stress, potentially compromising seed quality if applied incorrectly.
• Understanding the multifaceted impacts of seed treatment on seed performance attributes is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and critically analyze the effects of chemical seed treatment on seed quality.
• To synthesize current knowledge on how seed treatments influence physical, physiological, and functional seed attributes.
• To identify knowledge gaps and suggest future research directions for safer and more effective seed treatments.

Main Methods:

• Literature review synthesizing existing research on chemical seed treatment.
• Critical analysis of impacts on physical (e.g., mechanical damage), physiological (e.g., germination, vigor), and functional (e.g., plantability, environmental safety) seed quality.
• Examination of factors influencing the relationship between seed treatment and seed quality, including storage and application methods.

Main Results:

• Seed treatment can cause mechanical damage during processing, affecting physical quality.
• Phytotoxicity from treatments can reduce seed vigor and germination, particularly during storage.
• Seed treatment influences plantability and environmental safety, impacting functional quality.

Conclusions:

• A critical balance must be maintained between the protective efficacy of seed treatments and the preservation of seed integrity.
• Correct execution of seed treatment is essential to prevent compromised physiological quality.
• Further research is needed on slurry composition, storage interactions, and initial seed lot quality to develop safer formulations and optimized application technologies.