Scientists at Saint Petersburg State University (SPbU) and other Russian research institutions have developed a pre-sowing treatment for wheat seed that uses chitosan and glyoxal to form a protective coating, supporting germination and plant development while reducing disease risk, the university reported.

Chitosan is a natural substance derived from chitin and used for environmentally friendly seed coatings. The team tested chitosan and glyoxal separately and as a mixture on soft wheat, widely grown in north-west Russia, then heat-treated the coating to form a cross-linked chitosan polymer containing a little glyoxal. Seeds were judged on indicators such as productive tillering and grain weight per ear.

The most effective method, soaking seed in chitosan solution, drying it and then treating it with aqueous glyoxal, increased potential wheat yield by more than 1.5 times and reduced disease risk in experiments at the Pushkin and Pavlovsk laboratories of the Vavilov Institute. Associate professor Maria Fokina said the technology has so far been tested only in the laboratory and needs more research before wider use. The report was first published by TV BRICS.

Photo: Jack Dykinga, USDA ARS / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Source: AgroPages