Role of Seed Pelleting for Improving Seed Quality and Crop Productivity
Abstract
Agricultural crop yield and field performance are strongly influenced by seed quality. Crop establishment is sometimes hampered by unfavourable environmental factors such as high temperatures, moisture stress, soil salinity, and nutritional deficiencies. By applying fillers, binders, nutrients, growth regulators, insecticides, biofertilizers, and beneficial microorganisms to seeds, seed pelleting improves germination and the early growth of seedlings. Research findings indicate significant improvements in germination percentage, seedling vigour, nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, nodulation, disease resistance, and yield quality in crops such as rice, soybean, mung bean, cowpea, sorghum, cotton, onion, black gram, and French bean. Pelleting beneficial microbes, seaweed extracts, micronutrients, and biofertilizers enhances crop sustainability and performance. Despite challenges with time and cost, especially in unusual seed combinations, seed pelleting remains a promising and economically viable approach for improving seed performance and raising agricultural production. In current agriculture, this review study emphasises the uses, advantages, and significance of seed pelleting for sustainable crop production systems.
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Introduction
Many studies have demonstrated that variables including temperature, humidity, drought, soil salinity, soil acidity, and others have a major impact on seed germination, vigour, viability, and eventually seed yield (Patra, 2022; Zaman and Hedayetullah, 2025b). Numerous field crops have been impacted by different seed hardening treatments in terms of yield metrics, crop growth, and germination (Patra, 2025b; Hedayetullah et al., 2025). Post-harvest treatments that boost germination and seedling growth or make it easier for seeds and other inputs/materials needed at the time of sowing to be delivered smoothly are known as "seed enhancement" (Zaman and Hedayetullah, 2026). The main goal of seed enhancement technology is to further improve seed performance by treating seeds with particular chemicals, additives, organics (Hedayetullah et al., 2026), botanicals, etc. under very specific regimes and with the help of specific planting equipment to grow uniform crops, to harness higher productivity and production (Zaman and Hedayetullah, 2025; Patra et al., 2026; Halmer, 2006). This covers three broad areas of improvement: seed conditioning, coating, pelleting technology, and pre-sowing hydration treatment (Patra et al., 2026). Several studies have shown that applying dry physiological treatments (using chemicals, medicinal formulations, and crude plant components) both before and during storage (on freshly harvested items) can greatly reduce seed deterioration and enhance crop field performance (Mandal et al., 2011a, 2011b; Patra, 2017a, 2017b, 2018, 2025a, 2025e; Patra and Burman, 2017; Patra, 2025c; Patra et al., 2012, 2013, 2026a; Hedayetullah et al., 2026; Garai and Patra, 2024).
Conclusion
Pelleting seeds is a useful technique for improving seed germination, seedling establishment, plant growth, flowering, yield characteristics, and field performance. A useful and affordable method of boosting crop productivity and achieving sustainable agricultural output is the incorporation of micronutrients, biofertilizers, biocontrol agents, and seaweed extracts into pelleting formulations. The main obstacle to pulse production—low productivity—can be greatly addressed by seed pelleting. Since pulses are the best vegetarian source of protein, increasing their output is also essential if we want to feed our population properly. In order to increase the rate at which farmers adopt seed pelleting, it is currently necessary to identify crop-specific seed pelleting procedures for various crops and to educate farmers about its advantages.
References
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