Is There a Difference Between Lettuce Seed Coatings?
For seventy years, Germains Seed Technology has earned the reputation for being the industry leader for seed coatings such seed pellets and encrustments. Lettuce growers, who seek to achieve a more uniform stand, reduce the number of seeds used and time spent thinning fields opt to utilize seed coatings.
Seed coatings offer many benefits including:
- Produces bigger, rounder and smoother seed pellets
- Allows for precision drilling
- Ideal carrier of some crop protection treatments such as fungicides and pesticides
- Uniform sized pelleted seed
- Improve ability to handle even the finest seed
It is common for growers to have the perception that all seed pellets are all the same. In fact, that is simply not the case. Germains’ seed pellets are uniquely formulated to perform in different growing environments, sized to accommodate various mechanized planters and irrigation methods.
Lettuce Seed Coating Overview
The following is a general overiew of lettuce seed coatings and pellets offered by Germains Seed Technology.
Oxykote® – Seed Pellet
Oxykote® is a tan, heavy, split type seed pellet offering excellent plantability and uniform placement. The pellet is popular amongst growers in the desert growing regions that utilize flood irrigation. If you are a conventional grower, you may consider stacking your oxykote® pellet with seed priming, goseed®and filmcoating such as NipsIt ® to help optimize your seed’s performance. This pellet is also available for certified organic growers.
ProPellet® – Seed Pellets
ProPellet® Heavy | PPH
ProPellet® Heavy otherwise known as PPH is a versatile white, heavy, melting seed pellet that allows rapid oxygen uptake. Popular among both organic and conventional leafy vegetable growers located in the Pacific Northwest and California’s Central Valley growing regions.
ProPellet® Light | PPL
ProPellet® Light is a high-quality, lightweight seed pellet that is commonly used by organic and conventional growers in the coastal regions of California.
Seed Encrustments
Proflo® precise
Proflo® precise is a heavy, precision seed encrustment, designed to improve singulation and flow when used with a vacuum seeder. Commonly used for baby leaf lettuce when planted with a Spider Planter. Proflo® precise reduces the wear on the planter’s sponges. When using a precision planter, Proflo® precise allows a grower to plant 2.5 M per acre vs. 4M raw seeds per acre.
Proflo®
Proflo® is a heavy encrustment coating, designed specifically for vacuum seeders. Proflo improves singulation during planting vs planting raw seed.
Protect Your Crop with Seed Filmcoating
To improve your lettuce seed’s emergence, you may consider stacking priming with any of the described seed coatings. Combine filmcoatings such as Valent® USA NipsIt®, Syngenta’s FarMore® FI400, Apron® or Thiram with your seed coating as added crop protection. The filmcoat you choose may determine the type of pellet you may need to use to help prevent phytotoxicity. Make sure to speak with one of our sales staff or your seed distributor about selecting the right pellet filmcoat combination so that the seed technology is customized for your cultivation practices.