Seed is often a grower’s single most expensive production input. Seed treatments help protect that investment by safeguarding seed and emerging seedlings from pest and disease threats while supporting plant health throughout the growing season.

The value of seed treatments is especially clear under challenging environmental conditions, but regardless of weather or soil variability, treated soybean seed can provide a strong return on investment.

“Seed treatments are at a cost where, in general, you potentially could get a two- to three-time return on investment,” says Dair McDuffee, product development manager for seed treatment for Valent U.S.A. “I like to think of it as protecting your potential return on investment.”

Seed treatments help manage the “what ifs” in farming. Unexpected weather events and poorly timed environmental conditions can disrupt uniform stand establishment. Because these challenges cannot be reversed after planting, protecting soybean seed at planting is critical to preserving yield potential.

“In the perfect year, you might see muted effects from a seed treatment. But you’re going to be yielding well in that year anyway,” McDuffee says. “Seed treatments are for those years when conditions are less favorable—like heavy rain after planting or a prolonged cold snap. The goal is to help the seedling reach a stage where it can better withstand these stresses.”

Early Planting Protection

Soybean planting dates are moving earlier in the spring, driven by higher yield potential, equipment availability and larger planting equipment. In some cases, soybeans are being planted before corn. With earlier planting dates, the risk of adverse conditions during seedling emergence increases.

“People are changing when they’re planting. It’s all about yield potential,” McDuffee says. “When you get them in the ground that early, you are maximizing your yield potential—but also increasing your risk. The early stage of a soybean’s life is a race between the plant and pathogens.”

Cold weather, excess water or waterlogged soils can slow plant growth and create opportunities for pathogens to damage seed and newly emerged seedlings.

Seed treatments such as INTEGO^® SUITE Soybeans and Aveo^® EZ Nematicide provide the protection needed for plants to establish and thrive.

“Seed treatment is especially important when early planting to protect and maximize yield potential,” McDuffee says.

Multiple Modes of Action

INTEGO^® SUITE Soybeans fits well into integrated pest management (IPM) programs, offering multiple modes of action to help minimize resistance development.

Using seed treatments with multiple modes of action reduces reliance on a single active ingredient, which can lead to decreased efficacy or resistance over time.

“We have multiple modes of action against Pythium,” McDuffee says. “Pythium is a common soilborne pathogen with multiple species present in the soil microbial community.”

INTEGO SUITE Soybeans combines three fungicides and one insecticide to deliver broad-spectrum control of key early-season threats. It also features a low use rate and compatibility with additional inputs such as inoculants, micronutrients, nematicides and high-rate fungicides.

“With INTEGO SUITE Soybeans and Aveo EZ Nematicide, our use rate is 3.57 fluid ounces per hundredweight,” McDuffee says. “This allows growers to tailor their program based on their goals, whether maximizing yield potential or focusing on early-season protection.”

Prioritize Every Acre

INTEGO SUITE Soybeans offers benefits for growers focused on sustainability, including low use rates and multiple modes of action.

“Applying seed treatments is like placing protection exactly where it’s needed,” McDuffee says. “It’s an efficient and effective approach to crop protection and sustainability.”

For more information, visit Valent.com/INTEGO-SUITE-Soybeans or talk to your local Valent representative.

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INTEGO and Aveo are registered trademarks of Valent U.S.A. LLC.