Farmers encouraged to review seed treatments

Manitoba Agriculture says root rots are the big concerns right now in terms of crop diseases.

Field Crop Pathologist David Kaminski notes that is in addition to stresses that have been on crops because of too much water.

He points out that water moulds such as pythium and phytophthora are the main concerns right now.

Kaminski encourages farmers to review their types of seed treatments.

"Seed treatments today generally contain three different active ingredients, sometimes four, with different modes of action and it's the seed treatments that contain Group 4 active ingredient, they're more effective against these water moulds, against pythium and phytophthora. If that group was not represented in the seed treatment you're using, you may be at a little bit more of a disadvantage," he said. "Seed treatments of course can only protect plants for a limited amount of time and that's generally a maximum of three weeks post planting."

Kaminski notes the longer plants are under water the less likely it is that a fungicide seed protectant can actually protect the seed.