BEST PRACTICES FOR PRODUCTION OF HIGH QUALITY TREATED SEED

Transcription

1 BEST PRACTICES FOR PRODUCTION OF HIGH QUALITY TREATED SEED Dr. Ravi Ramachandran Head of Seedcare Institute North America Stanton MN Indiana CCA Conference, Dec 12-13, 2017 Indianapolis, IN

2 The Seedcare Institute - A Global Network of Seedcare Experts US Stanton CANADA Honeywood FRANCE St. Pierre GERMANY Maintal UKRAINE Dnipro MEXICO Guadalajara SWITZERLAND Stein CHINA Beijing BRAZIL Holambra ASEAN & SA Singapore ARGENTINA Pergamino SOUTH AFRICA Brits Global SCI Regional SCIs Local SCIs 2017 Syngenta Classification: Public Not for Distribution

3 The Seedcare Institute plays a central role by bringing comprehensive technology and expertise to our customers APPLICATION PRODUCTS SERVICES...powered by

4 The Seedcare Institute, North America Stanton MN State-of-the-art technology center Recipe R&D, Application Testing Lab, Commercial scale-up capabilities Climate simulation lab Downstream & Upstream Application Equipment Planter testing Lab Customer Application & Stewardship Training

5 The Seedcare Institute - Seedcare Technology & Customer Service

6 Quality What is it? What if your medication is not on spec? 360

7 Seed Treatment: Quality Challenges Coating Quality Spotty or uneven seed coverage Seed loading accuracy Seed Production Seeds clumping in transfer equipment after treatment Transfer of chemical to treating equipment Poor seed flow or bridging in bag-house Seed Planting Dust-off during planting Poor plantability, poor seed flow Build-up in planting equipment Biological Performance Carry-over seed safety Low germination causing yield reduction Poor Rhizobia compatibility (Soybean/Pulse)

8 Seed Treatment Quality...is the result of a multi-step process Raw Seed Quality Seed production Seed processing Chemical Treatment Process Seed treatment formulation and recipes Seed treatment equipment and operator skills Quality of Treated Seed Visual appearance Bulk loading Loading uniformity Flowability Plantability Dust and Abrasion

9 Components of Seed Treatment Quality Seed material Purity Calibration/sizing Dust properties Product (formulation) Concentrated or RTA Easy-to-apply Stable Good adhesive properties Safe on seed Quality of Seed Treatment Equipment Type (batch/continuous) Monitoring of treatment process Dosing system (vol./weight) Operator safety Slurry recipe Liquid volume Film coatings Colorants Micronutrients Miscibility Quality Control Dust abrasion Loading analysis Seed-to-seed distribution Plantability

10 Seed Treating Process has come a long way Gustafson S-100 Easy Treater GAP Treater

11 Seed Quality Distribution Application Technology Single-seed Loading Bulk Loading Cement mixer Poor Average Good Blends Blends + Additives Premixes Formulation Technology

12 Basic Principles of Seed Treatment

13 Seed Treatment Application Principle Formulation Polymers, Pigments Stability Seed Type Compatibility Seed Surface Appl. Equipment Drying Time Slurry vs RTA Viscosity vs temptr Environmental cond. Drying Time Seed coverage Rub-off Seed-to-seed Loading Dust-off Plantability Seed Flow Seed Safety Good formulation is critical for a good application experience

14 Factors affecting seed treatment quality Product formulation Treatment recipe Seed morphology Seed shape & size Surface area Treatment slurry characteristics Slurry volume Homogeneity of slurry Seed-to-seed uniformity AI distribution & seed coverage Dust-off & Seed flow Plantability

15 Product Formulation Types Solid Formulations Liquid Formulations Compatibility

16 Product Formulation

17 Product Formulation

18 Product Formulation Premix formulations are consistent and reliable. Syngenta products regularly deliver: Greater levels of performance Consistent levels of active ingredients Formulations that result in very low dust levels Long shelf life and stability Better packaging and ease of use Classification: PUBLIC

19 Treatment Recipe Modern seed treatment recipes have >10 components 2-3 fungicides, 1 insecticide, 1 nematicide, Biological, Micronutrient, Rhizobia inoculant, Polymer, Colorant and other additives! Seed treatments are customized to fit agronomic needs Premix formulations are designed with right combinations / ratios of actives Combinations of products Custom Blends (CB) CBs can be made from a single source or multiple sources Quality & Performance can vary depending on components in CB Environmental conditions impact product viscosity product flow Product stability & compatibility phase separation Application & Handling performance: Seed flow, rub-off and dust-off Getting the right dose on seed with desired quality attributes requires extensive application testing and right combination of treatment components customized recipe

20 Good recipes are key to product performance When customers receive recipe recommendations, they are fully tested and validated by the local Seedcare Institute team. For maximum performance two factors are critical: The adequate selection of the recipe components The right application technology 20 Classification: PUBLIC Not For Distribution 2017 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

21 Poorly designed product can lead to application issue Competitive blend Excessive build-up in seed coating drum More frequent stops and clean-up Product may rub-off from seeds Sticky seed challenge (clumps/blocks) Syngenta Seedcare Minimum build-up in seed coating drum Less operational disruption Uniform product distribution on seeds Free flowing seeds easy to handle

22 Seed Morphology Seeds have different types of seed coat smooth and rough Some seed surfaces are hydrophobic Seeds come in all shapes: round, flat, elongated Some seed coats are fragile while others are sturdy Broken seed coats = fails to germinate Hydrophobic surface

23 Seed morphology - size and surface Corn m 2 / 100 kg Wheat 80 m 2 / 100 kg Canola m 2 /100 kg Seed size and shape affects seed coverage uniformity (Equipment/calibration) Surface area variations Need to change volume of application (Slurry Volume) Nature of seed coat Affects ability to wet/coat the seed surface (Additives/polymers) Classification: We use patented PUBLIC NOT surfactants FOR DISTRIBUTION and po

24 Seed size Seed sizing 1 diameter 1 surface area product distribution depending on surface area (AA = 4ππrr 2 oooo ππdd 2 )

25 Seed surface area varies significantly Seed Surface Area in 2 /seed 2454 seeds/lb in 2 /seed 3024 seeds/lb in 2 /seed 3589 seeds/lb 25 Classification: NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

26 Seed Loading Accuracy accurate & poor precision accurate & good precision Equipment Calibration inaccurate & poor precision inaccurate & good precision Formulation & Tank mix recipe

27 Appearance vs. Seed loading Single Seed Analysis Percentage of target loading Percentage of target loading

28 Applying on a mg ai/seed basis Fl.oz. versus mg ai/ seed Base slurry rate at 6 mg/seed application Slurry in Fl.oz/cwt Less product, More water More product, Less water Floz Application Seed size in seed/lbs 28

29 Product formulations play a key role in seed flow performance Flow Test Seed Flow (g) Time Note: Each 20 seconds the flow funnel gate opens shortly for seed flow. Heavy hammering was applied after 2 minutes to initiate the seed flow for Albaugh custom blend. Flow test performed at Syngenta SCI at Stanton, MN in July Flow test performed under the same conditions with the same seed lot. CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans : Excellent seed flow Competitive product: Severe blocking, seeds flows only after mechanical shock 2017 Syngenta Classification: Public Not for Distribution

30 Poor seed flow has consequences (Seed bridging in air cart tank) Bridging Seed drying, environmental conditions and polymers impact seed flow

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32 Why is it important to have a preventive maintenance program (PMP)? Ensure equipment performance Reduce need for repairs Extend life of equipment Enjoy peace of mind Deliver Quality Finished Product

33 Primary Application (Atomizer) Product in fine mist (small droplets) Better initial contact on seeds (primary application) Allow easier seed-to-seed re-distribution Facilitates gentle secondary mixing of seeds 33 Classification: NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

34 Seed-to-seed distribution - AI Histograms CMV 0.66 Generic CB % % # of Seeds Frequency Average Average % of Target (Bulk) # of Seeds Frequency Average Average % of Target (Bulk) % of Target % of Target How do we improve seed-to-seed distribution?

35 How to obtain good seed coverage? - Coverage vs. Slurry volume CruiserMaxx Vibrance Cereals (5 fl oz/cwt) Total slurry: 5 fl oz/cwt CruiserMaxx Vibrance Cereals (5 fl oz) + Water (7 fl oz) Total slurry: 12 fl oz/cwt 2017 Syngenta Classification: Public Not for Distribution

36 How to obtain good seed coverage? - Coverage vs. Slurry volume Untreated CMV 0.66 CB 5 fl oz/cwt CMV 0.66 CB 15 fl oz/cwt Water Helps Product Distribution 2017 Syngenta Classification: Public Not for Distribution

37 Seed Coverage Uniformity - Coverage vs. slurry volume What is the trade-off?

38 Seed Coverage Uniformity - Coverage vs. seed size 5 fl oz/cwt 10 fl oz/cwt Untreated 15 fl oz/cwt 20 fl oz/cwt

39 Seed Coating Uniformity - Quantitative Analysis Homogeneity [ Hue] 20 oz 15 oz 10 oz 5 oz Low value indicates better uniformity

40 Think Seed Treatment Coverage Doesn t Matter? Think Again!!

41 Dust-off from treated seed

42 Dust-off: Influence of seed cleaning on seed dust-off gram of dust for 100 kg seeds Non-dedusted and untreated 2.7 Dedusted and untreated 1.25 Non-dedusted and treated Dedusted and treated W1 W2 W3 W5 R1 R2 R3 R5 B1 B2 B3 B5 Wheat Wheat Wheat Wheat Rye Rye Rye Rye Barley Barley Barley Barley 3.85 Crop: Cereals Dedusting: Spouted bed cleaning technology Application: Rotostat Formel M: dust reducing formulation

43 Formulation Innovation: Built-in dust reducing technology Untreated Wheat Syngenta Seedcare formulations are designed for optimal adherence to the seed and reduced dust off Dividend (1998) Dividend XL RTA (2000) CruiserMaxx Cereals (2008) CruiserMaxx Vibrance Cereals (2013)

44 Poor Quality Treatment: Seed planter issues could be significant

45 Air drill - Seed Planting Mechanism Seed inflow from cart Air Blast from Fans Treated seeds to planter Seed flighting augers made of either UHMW plastic or Stainless steel

46 At Planting issue: Metering System Flow Rate Product B After 100bu Product B After 400bu - Build up in planting equipment reduces seed flow over time

47 At Planting issue: Seed flight damage & build up The ends of seed metering flights have been flattened due to build up around the inside of the tube they run in. This build up could influence seeding rate.

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49 BEST-IN-CLASS STEWARDSHIP Syngenta takes the safe use of seed treatment products seriously. 49 Classification: PUBLIC Not for Disribution

50 Quality and Safety of Treated seed is a shared responsibility along the supply chain Seed processing Product formulation Recipes & application Supply chain & on farm Planting is continuously on the agenda of improvement of seed applied technologies Stepwise improvements Improvement of formulations & recipes Implementation of approved recipes Implementation of stewardship programs Initiating research on novel polymers Research in improvements in application technologies Continued improvement and education of seed handling from harvest to planting Continued research and development of novel polymers New delivery systems for Seed Applied Technologies Continued research and collaboration with industry partners equipment manufacturers, seed trade and polymer technology providers

51 Classification: PUBLIC Not for Distribution 2017 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

52 THANK YOU