All untreated seeds carry on or within them microscopic fungi and bacteria. Hundreds of kinds of seed-borne organisms, capable of causing plant diseases exist. These fungi and bacteria may cause seeds to decay in the soil and young seedlings, bulbs, corms or rhizomes to rot before or after shoots emerge from the soil.

Organisms carried on the seed may also be the source of certain types of dwarfing or stunting, root rots, smuts, wilts, mildews, leaf spot and blights, stripe diseases, etc., which later appear on the growing plant.

Practically all vegetable and flower seeds benefit from seed treatment. Seed protectants, properly applied at the recommended dosage, destroy seed-borne organisms on and in the seed, check seed-rotting fungi in the soil, help establish a higher percentage of more vigorous seedlings, plus producing bigger yields of higher quality vegetables and flowers.

No other garden practice produces such benefits for so little money and time. Seed treatment is cheap garden insurance.

Influencing Factors

Certain factors influence the infection of seed and young seedlings by micro-organisms.

1 – Climatic conditions during the latter part of the growing season of the seed-producing mother plant. Some organisms may enter seed about the time of pollination, particularly if the period is humid. or wet.

All untreated seeds carry on or within them microscopic fungi and bacteria. Hundreds of kinds of seed-borne organisms, capable of causing plant diseases exist. These fungi and bacteria may cause seeds to decay in the soil and young seedlings, bulbs, corms or rhizomes to rot before or after shoots emerge from the soil.

Organisms carried on the seed may also be the source of certain types of dwarfing or stunting, root rots, smuts, wilts, mildews, leaf spot and blights, stripe diseases, etc., which later appear on the growing plant.

Practically all vegetable and flower seeds benefit from seed treatment. Seed protectants, properly applied at the recommended dosage, destroy seed-borne organisms on and in the seed, check seed-rotting fungi in the soil, help establish a higher percentage of more vigorous seedlings, plus producing bigger yields of higher quality vegetables and flowers.

No other garden practice produces such benefits for so little money and time. Seed treatment is cheap garden insurance.

Influencing Factors

Certain factors influence the infection of seed and young seedlings by micro-organisms.

1 – Climatic conditions during the latter part of the growing season of the seed-producing mother plant. Some organisms may enter seed about the time of pollination, particularly if the period is humid. or wet.