Gary Munkvold is associate professor and Seed Science Endowed chair in the Iowa State University Department of Plant Pathology. His message at the BASF seed treatment symposium was that there is a seed treatment revolution taking place today.

“Take a look at some of the things that have happened just in the last few years that have dramatically changed in the use of seed treatments,” Gary told the media. “Insecticide seed treatments are standard on corn and that’s happened in a very short period of time. Now we’re up to about four active ingredients being standard and we’re not very far away from six active ingredients being standard.”

Listen to Gary’s presentation here:
basf-munkvold.mp3

Gary says this is a very exciting time for seed treatments with lots more products coming on line. “Seed treatments are a great solution for growers. They’re convenient for them to use, they’re more and more effective, they have low environmental impact – the tools are just getting better and better for growers.” And as far as the future is concerned, Gary says the sky is the limit. “If we can show that there is some value to any characteristic that you can deliver in or on the seed, the farmers will pay for that.”

Listen to an interview with Gary here:
basf-gary.mp3

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and