Seed treatment for corn continues to be a highly effective and inexpensive disease management tool for early-season seed- and soilborne problems. In particular because corn yield depends on plant population, seed treatments help to protect the yield potential by reducing stand losses from early-season diseases. As a result all major brands of hybrid seed are sold already treated. Similarly, hybrid sorghum production also benefits from seed treatments as nontillering types depend on emergence to achieve optimum plant populations. Treating sorghum seed is also important to preventing the development of certain seedborne smut diseases and the systemic form of downy mildew and to reducing the introduction and damage caused by sorghum ergot. Hybrid sorghum seed, like corn, is therefore sold already treated.
