Though it was a few weeks ago now, I’m still keyed up from watching the Philadelphia Eagles take down the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX. Whether you’re a proud Eagles fan or an “it’s ours next year” Chiefs fan, you had to be impressed with MVP Jalen Hurts. Hurts completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, on top of rushing 72 yards for an additional touchdown. But, while his leadership was key to his team taking the 40-22 victory, true football fans know his plays were only part of the story. His offensive line — the unsung heroes of the game — gave him the protection and time he needed to make big plays. Without them, Hurts wouldn’t have thrown a single touchdown, let alone led his team to victory.
Corn growers should take the same approach when thinking about their crops. As Bayer Crop Science’s Agronomic Systems Lead for corn in North America, I work with farmers to maximize yield potential. Everyone wants to talk about the “superstars” — the cutting-edge genetics and traits that promise higher yields and better resilience. But just like in football, even the best quarterback in the league can’t perform without a solid O-line. That’s where seed treatments come in.
The Toughest Opponent: Early Season Stress
Every corn seed carries enormous potential, just like a star athlete. But before it can prove itself, it has to get through the early season — a grueling, unpredictable period full of challenges. Cold soil temperatures, excessive moisture, diseases, and pests are like an aggressive defensive front, ready to take out any seed that isn’t properly protected.
And here’s the reality: you can’t win your yield in the early season, but you can lose it. Unlike more flexible crops like soybeans or canola, corn plants that struggle early never fully recover. They’re like wide receivers who miss their route — out of sync with the rest of the team. Some corn plants may produce only a small ear, while others won’t contribute at all.
Seed Treatments: The Offensive Line Your Corn Needs
For over 50 years, seed treatments have been a critical — but often underappreciated — part of every bag of corn seed sold. Think of them as the offensive line protecting your crop’s potential. By using a complete, pre-applied package of targeted fungicides, insecticides, nematicides, and biologicals, seed treatments help ensure uniform, consistent emergence — just like a great O-line sets the stage for a quarterback’s success.
And just like a well-coached football team adjusts to different opponents, we’re constantly refining and improving seed treatment formulations. We integrate multiple modes of action, optimize application rates, and introduce innovations like Enhanced Disease Control (EDC) formulations to provide even greater protection in tough environments. For example, Bayer’s Acceleron N-314 is the first-ever seed treatment to combine two modes of action—both chemistry and biological agents — into a single product, offering comprehensive protection against nematodes right from planting.
More Than Just Protection — A Game-Changer for Farmers and the Environment
Seed treatments don’t just help plants — they make life easier for farmers. By delivering early protection right where it’s needed, they reduce the need for in-furrow and foliar applications later in the season, cutting down on time and labor. And because seed treatments are applied directly to the seed, they use fewer active ingredients overall, minimizing non-target exposure and making them one of the most environmentally responsible crop protection tools available.
Surveys show farmers consistently rank strong, consistent emergence as their top priority. Yet, seed treatments often don’t get the recognition they deserve. It’s time to change that. Just like the Eagles’ O-line played a crucial role in their Super Bowl victory, seed treatments are the foundation for a championship-level corn crop.
