Economic Evaluation of Soybean Fungicide Seed Treatments

Abstract

ing a more informed seed treatment decision before planting. Also, since seed cost and associated technology The effects of fungicide seed treatments on seeding rate, location, fees have made seed cost a greater percentage of opsimulated rainfall at emergence, time of planting, and seed quality erating costs (Lambert and Lowenberg-DeBoer, 2003), were analyzed for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in this study. Variation in plant emergence allowed estimation of economically analyses surrounding seeding rate and replanting decioptimal seeding rates and partial returns (PR ϭ Gross revenue Ϫ sions for soybean are becoming more important to pro-Seed cost) across seed treatment options. Study results proved a single ducers. seed treatment to be superior across most study conditions. In fact, In this study the effects of four different seed treata comparison of optimally treated to untreated seed revealed that a ments: Fludioxonil (Maxim), Carboxin-Tetramethylthiseemingly insignificant input in terms of cost (Ͻ$8.65 ha Ϫ1 ) enhanced uram disulfide-Metalaxyl (Stiletto), Metalaxyl (Alleprofitability by an average of $43.71 ha Ϫ1 in this study. Using high giance), and Carboxin ϩ PCNB (Vitavax ϩ PCNB) rather than low quality treated seed increased producer returns by were compared with a control with no seed treatment. 1 an average of $64.27 ha Ϫ1 . Seeding rate recommendations need to be viewed with the precaution that added seed may be low cost insurance This allowed for the assessment of the importance of against lesser-than-expected survival rates. For the cultivar Hutcheson different pathogens based on the fungicides applied to (MG V), planting in May compared with April and June provided seed (for example, Allegiance targets Pythium spp., better yields using less seed on average. Finally, as the planting season Vitavax ϩ PCNB targets Rhizoctonia solani, Maxim progressed, replanting plant population density thresholds decreased.

Effect of Fungicide Seed Treatments, Cultivars, and Soils on Soybean Stand Establishment

“…were an important component of the seedling disease complex in both soils. In an earlier field study in Arkansas, metalaxyl alone was the most economical seed treatment (30). Metalaxyl seed treatments have been reported to be beneficial on soybean under a no-tillage system in Wisconsin (14).…”

“…Bradley et al (5) reported responses to fungicide seed treatments in 1 year (2004) but did not have differences in stands compared with the nontreated control the previous year (2003). Using 'Archer' and 'Hutcheson' soybean, Poag et al (30) reported that metalaxyl was the most economically effective seed treatment. However, in a subsequent study using 'Pioneer M9490' and 'Hombeck 4924' (HBK4924), metalaxyl was not better than the control, but the broad-spectrum seed treatments were effective (31).…”

Response of Broad‐Spectrum and Target‐Specific Seed Treatments and Seeding Rate on Soybean Seed Yield, Profitability, and Economic Risk

“…Specifically, the use of a combination fungicide plus insecticide seed treatment has provided more consistent yield gains across different SRs (Gaspar et al, 2015a) and dissimilar environments and cultivars (Esker and Conley, 2012;Gaspar et al, 2015b), whereas fungicide-only seed treatments have provided smaller and less-consistent yield responses (Bradley, 2008;Gaspar et al, 2015b;Poag et al, 2005;Schulz and Thelen, 2008).…”

Soybean Seed Quality: An Empirical Analysis on Clayey Soils in Arkansas

“…Including technology fees, seed cost is a large expense item in soybean production as illustrated by current soybean production budgets (Flanders et al, 2014). Hence, many producers may save costs by minimizing the seeding rate necessary to establish sufficient plant populations to obtain profit‐maximizing yield (Chen and Wiatrak, 2011; Lee et al, 2008; Norsworthy and Oliver, 2001; Poag et al, 2005; Popp et al, 2010). To assist in this decision, producers obtain information from germination tests.…”

“…Proper seed handling and storage to maintain SQ (Mbofung et al, 2013) is expected to affect the seed's ability to fend off disease, withstand adverse planting conditions, and improve yields (Mengistu and Heatherly, 2006; Vieira et al, 1994). Nonetheless, seed emergence is difficult to predict (Poag et al, 2005; Popp et al, 2003, 2010) and hence research is ongoing to determine the effects of planting date (Bajaj et al, 2008; Poag et al, 2005), ST (Popp et al, 2010), plant population density (PPD) (Ball et al, 2000, 2001; Walker et al, 2010), and SQ on seed survival and ultimately yield.…”