[RWG] ARTICLE: How to pellet seeds

[De Angelis, Patricia]

 By Simone Pedrini and Khiraj Bhalsing
July 25, 2018

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 or oddly shaped 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.

The above is excerpted from:
http://ser-insr.org/news/2018/7/25/how-to-pellet-seeds

The paper is published in the Official Journal of the International Seed
Testing Association, Seed Science and Technology, free to download at the
following link:
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ista/sst/pre-prints/content-21_sst46-2-393-405
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