Basics of Sugarbeet Seed Treatments for North America

Sugar Beet producers face many challenges, but one of the hardest challenges is getting a crop started properly. Seed treatments are a tool that a grower can use to overcome the challenges an emerging Sugar Beet crop faces. Germains Seed Technology provides many options for seed treatments to give the crop the best chance for survival. Included in seed treatments are: Xbeet, Priming, Metalaxyl Thiram, Maxim, Tachigaren, Vibrance, Kabina, Metlock-Rhizolex, Cruiser Maxx, Poncho Beta, NipsItINSIDE, Clariva pn.
Sugarbeetpellets

Overview of Sugarbeet Seed Treatments

The first seed treatment for Sugar Beets that Germains Seed Technology performs is Xbeet Priming. We perform Xbeet on the seed to increase speed of emergence and increase plant populations. The quicker a seedling emerges and begins growing the less time disease and insects have to negatively affect the plant or cause mortality. Increased plant populations lead to increased yields for the producer. Xbeet® is an excellent seed treatment and performs consistently for growers. 100% of the sugar beet seeds processed at Germains Fargo location are treated with Xbeet.
sugarbeet seed treatments

Seed Treatments that Target Plant Disease

An industry standard is the use of Metalaxyl for the control of Pythium and either Thiram or Maxim to control Phoma betae. Pythium is a soilborne fungi that causes seed rot and preemergence damping off. Phoma can also cause seedling problems in sugar beet production. Pythium and Phoma are found in every growing region and are the reason a basic fungicide package of Metalaxyl and Thiram/Maxim is applied to Sugar Beet seed.

Fungicides that are used for other seedling diseases are often an option growers can add to their seed for additional disease control. These additional offerings include Tachigaren for the control of Aphanomyces and Vibrance, Kabina, and Metlock/Rizolex for Rhizoctonia control. Tachigaren is used on 80% of the seed treated at Germains. Aphanomyces can cause death in the seedling stage of plant growth and also occur as a root rot later in the season. Tachigaren is a great tool to overcome the early effects of Aphanomyces. Rhizoctonia is another disease that also expresses itself during the seedling stage and later in plant development. The use of Vibrance, Kabina, and Metlock/ Rhizolex helps with the control of rhizoctonia during the seedling stage. Rhizoctonia treatments are used on 75% of the seed treated by Germains Seed Technology.

Rhizoctonia Sugarbeet

Prevent rhizoctonia infection with Germains’ seed treatments | Sugarbeet Management

Seed Treatments that Target Insects

Germains insecticide seed treatments for sugarbeet include; Cruiser Maxx, Poncho Beta and NipsItINSIDE. Insecticide seed treatments are used for controlling insects that can affect sugar beets in the seedling growth stage. Insects that may be controlled by these insecticides include Sugar Beet Leafhopper, Leaf Miner, Wireworms, Springtails, and Sugar Beet Root Maggot. These insecticides are used on 48% of the seed that Germains Seed Technology pellets.

The last seed treatment, Clariva pn, is used to control sugar beet cyst nematodes. Clariva pn uses Pasteuria nishizawae spores for nematode control. These spores infect the nematodes which reduces reproduction and results in death. Combining nematode resistant seed with Clariva pn is a great option for nematode control. Germains expects use of Clariva pn to continue to grow in the future.

Contact Us Today

Seed treatments are the tools that can be used by growers to give their crop every chance to survive through the seedling stage of plant growth. Germains Seed Technology encourages growers to understand what seed treatment options are available and to use them according to their production challenges. Xbeet priming is a great start to seed treatments from which a grower can add fungicides and insecticides to meet their needs. For more information please click here to contact Kevin Bigger, Sugarbeet Sales & Marketing Manager.