Extreme weather has become a recurring challenge across recent growing seasons. While there is no single solution to eliminate risk, growers can take practical steps to build crop resilience from the outset.

Choosing the right variety, protecting seed with an effective seed treatment, drilling in optimum conditions and establishing crops in a well-prepared seedbed all contribute to stronger crop performance. Well-established crops are better able to access moisture and nutrients, helping them withstand challenging winter conditions and maximise yield potential.

Whether using certified or farm-saved seed this autumn, seed treatments can help growers:

• Control damaging seed and soil-borne diseases

• Support strong crop establishment and reduce the effects of extreme wet and dry periods

• Provide additional nitrogen security through products like Nuello iN when nutrient availability or uptake is restricted

• Deliver a strong return on investment through improved crop performance and reduced risk

The hidden cost of seed and soil-borne diseases

Seed and soil-borne diseases are often overlooked because they have historically been well controlled through routine seed treatment use. However, without protection, these diseases can have a significant impact on crop establishment, yield and grain quality.

Diseases such as bunt, loose smut and leaf stripe may not become visible until ear emergence, when it is too late to take corrective action. Seed treatment remains the only effective means of control.

Potential consequences include:

• Fusarium and Microdochium sp. can reduce crop establishment and cause significant plant losses, directly impacting final yield.

• Bunt and loose smut affect grain yield and quality, while severe bunt infections can render the grain unmarketable.

• Repeatedly growing and re-sowing untreated seed can allow disease levels to build rapidly over successive generations, potentially causing severe crop losses and increasing the risk of spread to neighbouring crops.

Why seasonal conditions matter

Certain agronomic practices and seasonal conditions can increase disease risk:

• Later drilling often coincides with more challenging establishment conditions, increasing susceptibility to seed- and soil-borne diseases.

• Reduced cultivation systems, including minimum tillage and direct drilling, can leave infected crop residues on the soil surface, creating a greater risk of disease carryover.

Why upgrading to VIBRANCE® Duo makes sense this season

Upgrading from a standard seed treatment programme to VIBRANCE® Duo provides robust protection against key seed and soil-borne diseases while also delivering establishment benefits.

In addition to disease control, VIBRANCE Duo has been shown to improve root development and crop establishment compared with standard seed treatment programmes. Whether drilling early or facing an uncertain autumn, stronger rooting can help crops better withstand periods of environmental stress.

Key benefits of VIBRANCE Duo:

• Strong disease control against key seed and soil-borne pathogens

• Enhanced rooting and establishment

• Improved crop resilience under challenging seasonal conditions

• Greater confidence in achieving strong crop performance from emergence onwards

Second or continuous wheat? Don't overlook Latitude®

Take-all remains one of the most damaging root diseases in cereal production, with severe infections capable of causing yield losses of up to 50%.

Latitude is the only registered crop protection product proven to provide effective control of take-all. Recent seasons have seen increased disease pressure, driven by factors including warmer, wetter autumns, changes in cropping patterns, more land returning from legume fallows and a trend towards earlier-drilled wheat crops.

For growers planning second or continuous wheat, Latitude can play a critical role in protecting yield potential and safeguarding profitability.

Find out how much gross margin you could add to your crop with Latitude. Click here to calculate your results.

Why Nuello iN provides valuable nitrogen security

Nitrogen fertiliser markets continue to experience significant volatility, influenced by global supply and geopolitical uncertainty. As growers make decisions for the coming season, adding resilience to nutrient management strategies is increasingly important.

Nuello iN is an innovative biological seed treatment that helps support crops during periods of nutrient stress. Containing naturally occurring bacteria (Pseudomonas siliginis and Curtobacterium salicaceae), Nuello iN captures atmospheric nitrogen and makes it available to the crop.

Applied at drilling, Nuello iN acts as a valuable complement to standard fertiliser programmes, helping support crop performance when nutrient availability or uptake is restricted.

Situations where Nuello iN can deliver value:

• Light soils where nutrient retention can be limited

• Second cereals following nitrogen-demanding crops

• Periods of extreme weather, including prolonged wet or dry conditions that restrict nutrient uptake

• Delayed nitrogen applications where crops may benefit from additional early-season nutrient support

By strengthening crop establishment and providing a level of nitrogen security, Nuello iN can help growers build a more resilient crop from day one.

Building Resilience from the Start

While no grower can control the weather, establishing a strong crop foundation remains one of the most effective ways to manage risk. Combining effective disease protection, proven establishment benefits and additional nutrient resilience can help crops perform more consistently throughout the season and maximise their yield potential.

For more information contact your local Frontier agronomist, farm trader or seed cleaning advisor.