Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84Too much water creates a situation in the soil where the plant cannot access the required oxygen it needs to germinate. This can have a negative impact on plant populations, which ultimately translates in lower yields, Ginisty says. In addition, satu- rated soils can create other problems such as soil crusting and compacted soils, leading to emergence problems. On the other hand, if a seedling does not have access to water, it simply won’t germinate. “Remember in school when you took a seed and placed it between two wetted cotton pads to make it germi- nate,” Ginisty asks. “Moisture is the key to life for seeds — as long as a seed is not in con- tact with moisture, it will not germinate. “Drought has plagued agriculture and civilization throughout history, so much so that drought tolerant crops are considered the Holy Grail,” Rodriquez says. In fact, he says billions of dollars have been spent on breeding drought- and stress- tolerant crops. But Rodriquez says those investments haven’t paid the dividends needed, and that’s where novel seed treatments can advance farm yields and food security. Overcoming Stress While some may debate the efficacy of breeding stress tolerant plants, there’s no question that novel seed treatments can help minimize the impact of such events. Seed treatments can com- plement the work of breeders, giving the plant that extra boost in the early stages. Seed treatments play a critical role — convenience, Hofer says. “They are already on the seed, so you don’t need to use additional man- power, fuel or time,” he says. Bayer was an early innova- tor in this area, promoting the plant health benefits of imi- dacloprid in the 90s as Stress Shield. “Since that time, we have recognized that many com- pounds can impact plant health and regulate the plant’s genetic make-up, particularly in the area of stress-related bio-chemical pathways,” says Jennifer Riggs, Bayer SeedGrowth product devel- opment manager. “Also scientists have learned how important these abiotic stresses are. “With less arable land planned by 2050, reduced water availability for agricul- ture and an increase in global population, scientists around the world recognize the importance of developing solutions to protect plants against abiotic stress.” Similarly BASF brought to market the F500 molecule, which started as a foliar treat- ment and more recently has been used as a seed treatment. “We found that over time, the F500 molecule reduces plant respiration, so it can more efficiently use carbon dioxide,” Hofer says. “This decreases ethylene produc- tion and increases plant health, which has really helped give crops better tolerance to frost and drought.” Hofer adds that corn seed treated with the F500 mol- ecule in Canada has better tolerated late spring frosts and helped plants retain yield potential. It has potential to add 2-3 degrees of protection. Pulse crops in the northern growing regions are planted early. Sometimes, Hofer says the plants might be out of the ground for seven to 10 days, and then a frost moves in. With a treatment containing the F500 molecule, we have wit- nessed many situations where plants are visually greener and healthier, Hofer says. Those pulse plants that haven’t been treated get behind and they can’t catch up. When looking at the effects of drought, Hofer explains that it can reduce the production of ethylene ENDORSED BY OCTOBER 2016 SEEDWORLD.COM / 45 in stressed soybeans and cereals, limiting premature ripening. If we can keep the plant alive and as healthy as possible at the end of the day, the better off you are. The F500 molecule is part of BASF’s Stamina seed treat- ment line of fungicides. Rodriquez and his team at Adaptive Symbiotic Technologies found that certain fungi in the soil allow plants to flourish under harsh conditions. Treating seeds allows these microscopic fungi to colonize the root systems, conferring those adaptive abilities on food crops. Field test results showed corn yields with the seed treatment increased 25 to 85 percent under drought condi- tions using 25 to 50 percent less water. 2015 marked the fourth year of field trials cov- ering 14 states. “We’re concluding these products will perform irre- spective of soil type and climate zone,” Rodriquez says. “There is nothing telling us to not move forward.” BioEnsure launched in December of 2015 in the United States and around the world. “Our first launch is with corn because we have spent a fair amount of time research- ing it,” Rodriquez says. Riggs notes that Bayer’s Poncho/VOTiVO helps plants