[PCA] ARTICLE: How to Pellet Seeds

Leah Prescott lprescott at blm.gov
Thu Aug 16 08:39:57 CDT 2018


From: International Network for Seed-Based Restoration (SER-INSR)
By: Simone Pedrini and Khiraj Bhalsing

"Native seeds come in all shape and sizes. That's what makes them special,
but at times, this overwhelming diversity and complexity make life
difficult for restorationists.

This is the case for very small seeds, those that are oddly shaped and
those wind-dispersed seeds that are difficult to put through sowing
machines. Then there are native seeds where you want just the right amount
of germination promoter near the seed at the time of sowing.

Seed pelleting (and encrusting) can solve most of these issues.  The
process consists of covering seeds with external materials such as talc and
clay powders that are retained onto the seeds by binding agents (a type of
glue). This process allows seeds to be uniformly increased in size and
weight, making them more homogeneous and easier to mix and sow. Moreover,
this coating can be loaded with active ingredients that improve protection
from insect and fungal attack or promote germination and seedling growth."

Read more: http://ser-insr.org/news/2018/7/25/how-to-pellet-seeds

-- 
Leah Prescott
Bureau of Land Management
Plant Conservation & Restoration Program
Data Coordinator
202-912-7232

National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration
<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy>
Plant Conservation Alliance <http://www.plantconservationalliance.org/>
Seeds of Success
<https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/native-plant-and-seed-material-development/collection>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.plantconservation.org/pipermail/native-plants_lists.plantconservation.org/attachments/20180816/d1c19443/attachment.html>


More information about the native-plants mailing list