Formulation Technology Innovation and Improvements

Palle Pedersen, Ph.D. Seed Care Technology Manager

2

AGENDA

1. History of Seed Treatment Development

2. The quality of treated seeds

3. Formulation assessment methods

4. Simulation of dust emission from planters during formulation development

5. Summary and conclusions

3

History

● Pests are always adapting to new environments and growing conditions change constantly.

● Before seed treatments were available, growers were soaking their seeds in chlorine or manure in large amounts. Sometimes growers would turn to arsenic- and mercury-based compounds due to a lack of options.

● Seed treatments represent extremely efficient and targeted delivery systems for pesticides; only a small amount of a pesticide is applied to the seed before planting, which allows for reduced applications and exposure potential.

4

Seed Treatment - Dose Reduction per Area (Bayer CropScience)

Seed Treatment Furrow Application (e.g. granulates)

Spray Application

Treated Area (m2/ha)

5

Quality of Treated Seeds

6

Quality of Treated Seed

Bulk loading Loading uniformity Flowability Plantability Dust and

Abrasion Visual

appearance

Seed Treatment Process

Seed treatment formulation and recipes Seed treatment equipment and operator training

Raw Seed Quality

Seed production Seed processing

Seed treatment quality .....is the result of a multi-step process

7

Seed processing

Product formulation

Recipes & application

Planting 1 2 3 5 Supply chain & on farm

4

Quality and safety of treated seed

Stepwise Improvements

• Improvement of formulations and

recipes

• Implementation of approved recipes

• Implementation of stewardship

programs

• Initiating research on novel polymers

• Research in improvements of

application technologies

• Continued improvement and

education of seed handling from

harvest to planting

• Continued research and

development on novel polymers

• Research in improvements of

application technologies

• New delivery systems for Seed

Applied Technologies

• Continued research and collaboration

with industry partners –equipment

manufactures, seed trade, and

polymer technology providers

…is a shared responsibility along the supply chain

…is continuously on the agenda of improvement of seed applied technologies

8

Formulation Assessment Methods

9

Standard quality assessment tests/tools employed by Syngenta Seed Care

Funnel: Flowability

CornCounter: Plantability HPLC: Seed Loading QUEST Pro: Seed-to-Seed Distribution

HEUBACH: Dust Assessment

10

Formulation assessment in the laboratory Heubach test

Apparatus with pump, drum and filter case

Standardized filter case and filter

Control panel

Dust Assessment - according to SOP of ESTA

11

Dust assessment on simulated planter level

Principle

• Collection of dust at exit of planting unit on filter

• Assessment of total dust-off on filter

• Calculation of dust-off per seed unit or acre/ha

Digitel Technology

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Ver

teilu

ngss

umm

e Q

3 / %

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Stan

dard

abw

eich

ung

/ %

6 8 10 20 40 60 80 100 200 400 600 8001000Partikelgröße / µm

PICTOS Technology

Principle • Particle count with high-speed camera

• Size range from 10 microns to 2000 microns

• Classification into distinct ranges

• Particle number, size and shape information

• Total mass of dust captured

12

Simulation of dust emission from planters during formulation development

13

Polymers and recipes (products + polymers) screening Heubach Assessment

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

P1

P2

P3

P4

P5

P6

P7

P8

P9

P10

P11

P12

P13

P14

P15

P16

P17

P18

P19

P20

P21

P22

P23

P24

P25

P26

P27

P28

Dus

t in

g/10

0 00

0 se

eds

Recipes with different polymers and rates

AVERAGE of 2 replicates per 100 000 seeds

Polymers play a key role in dust reduction and recipe development Example: P21 was rejected due to outright unacceptable dust levels

14

Recipe screening based on novel polymers PICTOS assessment

Selection of the appropriate polymer is critical; weak polymers do not stick to the seed (TRT 1- 6; 10 - 11); strong polymers reduce the dust-off impressively while maintaining germination

15

1. Non-dedusted and untreated 2. Dedusted and untreated 3. Non-dedusted and treated 4. Dedusted and treated

1 2 3 4

Influence of dedusting raw seed and formulation technology on treated seed quality (2)

Dust reduction

Formel M Formulation Technology

Treatment (3 and 4) Formel M technology for cereals

16

Influence of dedusting raw seed and formulation technology on treated seed quality

2.7

1.25 0.45 0.2

7

2.85 1.45

0.35

16.35

3.85 2.9

0.75

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

gram

of

dus

t

for 1

00 k

g se

eds

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Dedusting: spouted bed cleaning assessment technology Application: Rotostat Formel M: dust reducing formulation

non-

dedu

sted

and

unt

reat

ed

dedu

sted

and

unt

reat

ed

non-

dedu

sted

and

trea

ted

dedu

sted

and

trea

ted

Wheat Rye Barley

cereals

17

Summary and conclusions

• The quality of treated seed is a multifactorial result

• Seed cleaning is a first crucial step in ensuring quality seed treatment

• Great improvements have been made on polymers and recipes (products + polymers)

• Polymers and recipes are critical in managing potential dust-off and abrasion

• Effective quality management and stewardship along supply chain is a must

• Research and development on-going into novel polymers and application processes

18

Syngenta activities for Best Management Practices in Seedcare

Heubach dust analysis

Beizqualität Seed treatment

Quality

Seed to seed distribution

Seed loading analysis

Mixtures & Recipe development

Seed quality/safety

Technical Service Training Workers exposure Facility check

Quest-Einzelkorn-Analyse

0

50

100

150

200

1 9 17 25 33Korn Nr.

Bei

zgra

d [%

]

Reports & documentation

19

NA

Canada USA

LATAM

Brazil / Brazil SC LAN LAS

APAC

Australasia China NE Asia

South Asia SE Asia

EAME

AME CIS EU Central

EU SE France

EU North Iberia Italy

Local -

2007

China

2011

Ukraine

2000

France

2000

Germany

2000

Canada

Global Network of Seed Care Institutes and Territories

2009 2008

Stein / CH Holambra / BR

2001

Stanton / US Major

20

Seed processing

Product formulation

Recipes & application

Planting 1 2 3 5 Supply chain & on farm

4

Critical Steps Quality and safety of treated seed

Best practices for commercial seed treatment

BMP for handling/planting

…is a shared responsibility along the supply chain

Other Technologies

Seed cleaning

Formulations

& Polym

ers

Optim

ized recipes