TECHNICAL BULLETIN
Storing Treated Certified Seed: Cereals
How do I maintain the germ of my certified seed?
Will seed treatments affect seed viability?
Overview
Proper storage of any seed begins with the sanitation of storage facilities and reducing or eliminating the
respiration of the seed. Syngenta’s current seed treatments for cereals include: Cruiser Maxx® Cereals
(CMC), Proseed™ and Dividend XL RTA®. Research has shown that the safety of these products on seed
viability is excellent. In fact, thiamethoxam, an insecticide in the CMC and Cruiser® 5 FS seed treatments,
protects the seed from insect infestations such as Rusty Grain Beetle. Overall, several factors need to be
considered when storing treated, certified seed which are outlined below.
Proper Storage
Living Organisms - Insects, Rodents, Fungi
Insects, rodents and fungi will infest stored seed and can cause a reduction in quality and quantity. Insect
feeding can decrease your grain amount by up to 10%2. Bait/insecticide should be set around storage
areas to limit these pests.
Temperature
Maintaining stored seed at cool temperatures is of great importance. When seed must be dried down, do
not dry seed above 32°C and do not maintain elevated temperatures any longer than is required to reach
10-12% seed moisture content. When temperatures reach 5 to 10°C, insects will begin to develop and
reproduce2.
Humidity
Humidity should remain below 60%2. Above this, seeds will rapidly gain water increasing the potential to
reduce germ levels. In general, for most plant species, seed will maintain its viability and vigour when the
combination of air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and percent relative humidity of the air is 100 or less.
Seed moisture
Seed moisture should remain below 12% during storage to maintain germination of wheat seed1, 4. Under
cooler temperatures, grain can be stored at slightly higher moisture contents. The table below summarizes
the effect of various moisture contents on seed viability.
Effects of moisture content in seeds
Seed moisture
4-8%
10-12%
14-16%
18-20%
24-60%
Condition
Little or no insect activity (too dry for most insects).
Satisfactory to store most seeds in open storage and in cloth bags or
moisture-resistant containers.
Molds (fungi) may grow on and in seeds in open storage and on seeds in cloth bags or
sealed containers. Harmful to seeds of many plant kinds.
Seed may heat because of seed respiration and microbial activity. Seed declines rapidly in
viability and vigor.
Seeds may rot.
Table Adapted from: Hall, M.H. and Roth, G. Penn State Agronomy Guide.
Always read and follow label directions.
Cruiser Maxx® Cereals, Proseed™, Dividend XL RTA®, Cruiser® 5FS, Seedcare™, the Alliance Frame, The Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a
Syngenta Group Company. ©2011.2012 Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc.
Seed Safety
Several studies have been conducted to confirm the safety of Syngenta’s seed treatments on cereal crops stored prior
to planting, even when seed is stored for up to 24 months. In these studies, after the seed was treated, is was stored
for up to 24 months at 20°C and at a relative humidity of 50% (four replicates of each treatment). Every 3 to 6 months
the seed was germinated under standard and cold conditions (vigour test). A summary of the data is presented here:
Cruiser Maxx Cereals seed stored for 12 & 24 months - germinated under standard & vigour test conditions.
Crop (variety)
Standard Conditions
Vigour Test Conditions
12 months
24 months
12 months
24 months
% germ. % germ. % germ. % germ. % germ. % germ. % germ. % germ.
Untreated Treated Untreated Treated Untreated
TreatedUntreated Treated
Barley - 2 row
9898.5
Barley - 6 row
95.396.6
Wheat - HRSW
9797.6
Wheat - Canada Prairie SW96.3
95
Wheat - Durum
97.396.3
Wheat - Winter
94.5 95
96.3 95.3 98.8
90.8 85.8 96
93.8 92.6 96.8
95.5 95.5
97
98 97.7 96.8
98.3 97.2 96.8
97.796.594.3
9691.392.3
96.895.893.6
96.5 97.3 96.7
97.197.896.5
97.3 96.596.5
Dividend XL RTA seed stored for 12 & 24 months - germinated under standard & vigour test conditions.
Crop (variety)
Standard Conditions
Vigour Test Conditions
12 months
24 months
12 months
24 months
% germ. % germ.
% germ. % germ. % germ. % germ. % germ. % germ.
Untreated Treated Untreated Treated Untreated
TreatedUntreated Treated
Barley - 2 row 97.597.8 97.3 96 98.8 98.595.8 97
Barley - 6 row
94.595.6 91.8 88.3 94.8 94.592.3 86
Wheat - HRSW
96.5 95 92.8 89 93.5
97 93.593.5
Wheat - Canada Prairie SW 9797.8
97 93.5 97.8 98.396.396.5
Wheat - Durum
98.398.8 98.5 96 98.8 9995.598.6
Wheat - Winter
9795 96.8 95 9896.494
94.3
Proseed + Cruiser Maxx Cereals seed stored for 6 months - germinated under standard & vigour test conditions.
Crop (variety)
Standard conditions
Vigour Test Conditions
% germ. % germ. % germ. % germ.
Untreated
TreatedUntreated Treated
Wheat - HRSW
Wheat - Durum Barley - 2 row 96 96.895.3 94
92
89.6
91.5
90.7
99
98.3
99.3
97.5
Summary
The main factors that affect the viability or germ of the seed are moisture levels and temperature3. By decreasing both
factors, the longevity of the seed will increase. Minimal difference is seen in the ability of the seed to germinate after stored
for a period of time when planted under standard or cold stress (vigour test) conditions.
References:
1. Hellevang, K.J. 2008. Grain Storage Considerations - FAQs. Government of Saskatchewan. Agriculture. Retrieved September 9, 2011
from www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca.
2. Penn State Extension. 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2011 from:
http://extension.psu.edu/agronomy-guide/cm/sec3/controlling-pests-in-stored-grains.
3. Roberts, E.H. 1960. The Viability of Cereal Seed in Relation to Temperature and Mositure. Annals of Botany. 24:12-31.
4. Trepathi et al. 1999. Influence of Seed Storage on the Delivery of Quality Seed in the Informal Sector in Nepal. 1999 World Seed Conference
pp. 127-137.