22 / SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2017 INSIDERS ADVICE FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS Get a Holistic Perspective of Biologicals’ Many Benefits MANY TALK ABOUT the benefits of biologicals being more environmentally friendly and leading to healthier, stronger plants. But what exactly creates these envi- ronmental and plant health benefits? When using the right biological, farm- ers will experience above-ground and below-ground benefits. In the furrow or on the seed, biologi- cals promote root growth by creating synergies with the plant, using beneficial microorganisms already in the soil, and by shielding the plant from soil-borne pests and pathogens. Our research shows root biomass jumps from about 46 percent of the total plant to more than 50 percent. The roots dig deeper, breaking up the soil. Deeper roots means increased access to water and nutrients needed for the plant to grow and produce fruit or grain. It also puts more organic matter back into the soil. Year after year, this has a com- pounding effect. But farmers still drive over the fields and make multiple passes. As such, soil compaction is a constant battle, and there’s this continual competition of breaking up the soil and compacting the soil. How do we minimize this? To minimize the passes made over a field, we must control disease and soil- borne and foliar pathogens. If you can slow, stop or prevent any of these, then you reduce the number of times a field must be sprayed, which also means using fewer chemicals. When the roots can access more water and nutrients below ground, there’s more above-ground growth and an over- all stronger plant stand. By controlling disease and pathogens, the plant grows faster and there’s more canopy cover, which suppresses weeds. When treated with our biological prod- ucts, we see the canopy close at least 1.5 days ahead of the control in our research, and that’s better for weed control. When the whole system is working as designed, we see dramatically improved soil health, plant health and environmental health. It truly is a holistic approach. MOLLY CADLE-DAVIDSON, ABM CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER @ABM1st • Mollycadle-davidson@abm1st.com • abm1st.com AFTER WEEKS OF running nonstop and filling customer orders, you’re finally done … or so you think. I challenge you to not just shut the seed treater down and ignore it for eight months. A little more work can go a long way in helping you prepare for a successful season the following year. I’ve found four simple steps that can help you finish strong, if you just spend a half-day to a day to complete. Clean all seed treatment equipment. This is the most neglected part of the process, but it’s the most important in making sure your equipment is ready to run next season. This includes flushing the lines and valves of any remaining fluids. Inspect all seed treatment equipment. After a hard season of use, there are some high-wear parts, such as the flaps, valves, pump hoses and bearings, that could be worn out and need to be replaced. I also encourage you to participate in a service maintenance plan. It’s relatively inexpensive and can be of huge value in keeping your equipment running when you need it most. Properly handle any leftover treatment or treated seed. It’s critical to follow local codes and best management practices to store any unused treatment for the follow- ing season and to dispose of any leftover treated seed. The American Seed Trade Association and CropLife America provide guidelines at seed-treatment-guide.com. Make a list identifying what went well and what needs to go better next year. There is no better time to reflect on the 4 Tips to Finish Strong JASON KAEB KSI CONVEYORS DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT @jasonkaeb_ksi • JasonKaeb@ksiconveyors.com • KSiConveyors.com past few weeks than immediately after the season. What went according to plan? What did not? It’s possible that in the summer, the manufacturer can resolve any issue that occurred. However, if you wait until the following March to begin thinking about your treater again, you’ll likely forget what the exact issues were. I like to think of the seed-treating season like football season. The Kansas City Chiefs, or any other team, wouldn’t go into the season without having either taken the time to practice and prepare, nor would the coaches just walk away after the last game. They reflect, trou- bleshoot and make adjustments with the hope of an even better next season. It’s the same for us.