Faster germination of soya with MK Soil and ZeoBas

Germination trials in the laboratory involving treating soya seeds showed that a combined dressing with 15 ml MK Soil and 10 g ZeoBas per kilogramme of seed caused it to germinate 75 per cent faster compared with the untreated control. Further greenhouse tests showed that the young plants developed better.

Faster germination and root formation increases the availability of water and nutrients and therefore forms the basis for good plant growth.

The trial

In this trial, which involved creating a dosage curve for the treatment of soya seeds, the Barworth Ltd trial facility (Agricultural Research and Development Services, Heckington, UK) dressed soya seed with different doses of MK Soil and ZeoBas. As a comparison, a trial group was treated with MK Start and ZeoBas. In the laboratory trial, in each group, 20 seeds were germinated in petri dishes and the germination rate and growth of the plants were monitored. Further greenhouse trials were carried out involving 40 trays per group.

From left to right: control, 50, 100

Trial set-up in the laboratory:

0: untreated control

50: 3.75 ml MK Soil per kg seed + 5 g ZeoBas

100: 7.5 ml MK Soil per kg seed + 10 g ZeoBas

200: 15 ml MK Soil per kg seed + 20 g ZeoBas

MK Start: 7.5 ml MK Start per kg seed + 10 g ZeoBas

Laboratory germination trial, day 3, germination rates in %

Plant growth in trays using averaged weights (roots and plant), day 13

The averaged weights with the use of MK Start show a weight increase of up to 19% compared with the untreated control group.

Results

The germination trials for the seed treatment of soya showed that dressing the seeds with MK Soil and ZeoBas increased the germination of the seeds and the growth of the seedlings compared with the untreated control. The positive influence of the seed treatment was clearly visible and could also be demonstrated by the weight of the plants.