PSMP

Homework assignment

After reading the texts below write an ESSAY with the title: The benefits of biological seed
treatments for a sustainable agriculture

Seed treatment refers to the application of certain agents physical, chemical or biological to
the seed prior to sowing in order to suppress, control or repel pathogens, insects and other pests
that attack seeds, seedlings or plants and it ranges from a basic dressing to coating and pelleting.
Introduction and ban of arsenic (used from 1740 until 1808) is the key milestones in the history
of modern seed treatment till then a continuous research and advancement in this technology is
going on.

The technological advancement prepared a roadmap for refining existing seed treatment
technologies and future work on technologies like fluid drilling as a way to sow germinated seeds
where gel can also serve as a delivery system for other materials, seed priming advances the early
phase of germination without radicle emergence.

Another advanced technology, solid matrix priming (SMP) has been evaluated as a means to
advances the germination of seeds and serve as a carrier for useful material too. Physical and
biological seed treatments alone an alternative to chemicals or in combination with a chemical
treatment are being used worldwide because of their environmental safety and socioeconomic
aspects.

Biological seed treatments are expected to be one of the fastest growing seed treatment
sectors in the near future, in part because they are easier to register at Environment Protection
Agency (EPA).

What is biological seed treatment?

Biological seed treatment consists of active ingredients that can include microbes like fungi
and bacteria, as well as plant extracts and algae extracts. Biological substances are applied to the seed
in a powder form or as a liquid. An even layer covers the whole seed. In this way, the beneficial
ingredients are available to the seed when it requires them.
What are the benefits of biological seed treatment?

Biological seed treatment has beneficial effects on the growth, resilience of the plant, abiotic
stress, the development of the root system, and the productivity of the crop. An overview of
positive attributes of microbials depending on the organism:

 Biological seed treatment acts as a biostimulant: a treated crop becomes stronger and
grows better;
 The treatment enhances crop yields while helping plants to fight off plant pathogens and
minimize biotic stress;
 The plant growth promoting microorganisms colonize the roots and protect the crop
during the entire growing season.
 Seed treatment increases the availability of plant nutrients in the root system and increases
nutrient uptake;
 The enhanced root and shoot growth means that the early growth rate is optimized and
that both the nutritional value of the crop as well as production yields are boosted;
 Biological seed treatment reduces the use of agrochemicals which results in a lower
exposure of growers to chemicals and lessens their impact on the environment. The
potential exposure of the soil to agrochemicals is also limited in this way.

source: https://www.koppert.com/challenges/biological-seed-treatment/

The global market for Biological Seed Treatment

8 billion by 2025, driven by agricultural intensification in countries across the world to meet
food security goals and changing nuances in the practice of plant nutrition management. From
overuse of chemical fertilizers towards the use of biofertilizers as a reactive measure to fight
agriculture's growing carbon footprint, the focus is now being shed on proactive early
intervention to reduce the environmental burden of crop production.

Starting with the seed is the new strategy which is resulting in robust developments in seed
nutrition technologies. Starting with the seed is a good idea since it offers early defenses against
diseases and nutrition challenges faced by food crops as climate change brings about changes in
our environment that are detrimental to plant health and quality.

New research studies are revealing disturbing evidence of how climate change and global
warming are playing a key role in stripping the nutritional value of food crops. Rise in surface
temperatures, water scarcity, and accumulation of CO2 in the environment are chief factors
responsible for nutrition depletion in plants. CO2 although helps plants to grow, excess of CO2
causes plants to produce carbohydrates such as glucose at the expense of other vital nutrients
such as protein, zinc and iron. This worrisome fact has serious consequences to public health if
not addressed appropriately and in a timely manner. The scenario is driving increased interest in
and importance of nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices.
 Biological Seed Treatment, in this regard, is growing in prominence and commercial value.
Defined as the application of biological agents to seeds, biological seed treatment helps in
suppressing and controlling pathogen diseases all through the plant's life cycle.

Other benefits of bio-treated seeds include early germination and reduced early planting
risks; ability to grow deeper roots that increase nutrient and water absorption; positively
influences biological processes that control germination and root development. Dressing, coating,
pelleting and inoculation are the methods by which seeds are treated. Microbial inoculation is an
effective seed treatment for agricultural crops.

Benefits of seed inoculation include efficient placement of microbes in a manner that

enables easy colonization of seedling roots and offer protection against soil borne diseases and
threats; better ability to absorb nutrition from soils; protects roots from soil decay that tend to
destroy beneficial Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium bacteria; improved stress tolerance during
periods of drought; and protection of beneficial bacteria from the negative effects of chemical
fertilizers. Bio-treated seeds tend to form root nodules that are engineered to fix nitrogen from the
air for better plant growth. Value of bio-treated seeds is also growing given the fact the soil
quality deterioration is resulting in inadequate bacteria population in the soil required for
effective natural nodulation i.e. symbiotic interaction between soil bacteria and plant hosts.
Microorganisms commonly used as inoculants include Bradyrhizobium, Azotobacter,
Azospirillum, Pseudomonas, and Bacillus. Growing in popularity are phosphate-solubilizing
microorganisms. Rhizobia inoculants are fairly popular as they are easy to inoculate, carry no
threat of over-inoculation and therefore do not require specialized expertise and knowledge.

The United States and Europe represent large markets worldwide with a combined share of
56% of the market. The U.S also ranks as the fastest growing market with a CAGR of 11.2% over
the analysis period supported by the country's massive investment commitments towards
encouraging agricultural innovation, sustainability and digital transformation. Innovation in
biological seed treatments in the country are poised to intensify in the coming years given the fact
that new products are easier to register at Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as compared to
chemical substitutes. Competitors identified in this market include, among others, BASF SE,
Bayer CropScience AG, Corteva Agriscience, Croda International Plc, ITALPOLLINA S.p.A,
Koppert Biological Systems, Plant Health Care plc., Precision Laboratories LLC., Syngenta
International AG, UPL Limited, Verdesian Life Sciences.

source:https://www.reportlinker.com/p05798052/Global-Biological-Seed-T