Germination in Spring Grains Treated with Organic Seed Amendments and Aerated Steam

Small grains are often planted early in the spring when the soil is cool and wet creating ideal conditions for soilborne pathogens. Seed-borne pathogens that cause root rot and damping-off during germination and early seed growth, can often be prevented by treating seeds with conventional fungicides. Organic production does not allow conventional fungicide seed treatments and organic approved seed treatments may help farmers establish better stands of crops. The goal of this project was to compare the impact of various seed protectants and treatments on germination rates of spring wheat and barley