Use of seed treatments and inoculants in no-tillage soybean production practices

Soybean producers using no-tillage practices in the Upper Midwest encounter cooler, wetter soil conditions early in the growing season that slow crop growth and favor damping-off pathogens. The goal of this thesis work was to evaluate the use of soybean seed treatments and inoculants in no-tillage compared to conventional tillage practices in Iowa. The research reported in this thesis is divided into three specific objectives. The first objective was to evaluate the use of soybean seed treatments and inoculants in no-tillage and conventional tillage across Iowa. It was concluded that there was no evidence that the use of seed treatments and inoculants should change when using no-tillage practices for soybean production in Iowa. The second objective was to evaluate the use of seed treatments with various seeding rates in conventional and no-tillage systems. It was concluded that there was no evidence that seed treatments affect the optimum seeding rate in no-tillage or conventional tillage. The final objective examined the patented growth enhancing effect from the insecticide seed treatment, thiamethoxam, and whether this product could counteract slow early-season soybean growth observed in no-tillage. It was concluded that there was no evidence that the appearance of enhanced early-season growth from thiamethoxam is influenced by tillage or water stress under the conditions present in our studies.