Pelleting of Seeds

Pelleting of Seeds 

a method of presowing preparation of seeds by coating them with a round protective and nutritive casing in a special apparatus (a pelleter). Pelleting ensures more uniform sowing of seeds, makes the sowing of small, rough seeds (such as carrot and parsley seeds) easier, reduces the amount of work involved in thinning the seedlings, fosters economization on planting material, improves the growing conditions of the plants, and increases yields of onions, carrots, cucumber, parsley, tomatoes, and table beets by 20-25 percent. A mixture of neutralized peat and humus (dried, pulverized, and passed through a sieve with openings 0.25-0.5 mm in diameter) is used to pellet seeds. An adhesive material (liquid cow manure of polyacrylamide), superphosphate, nitrogen, trace elements, growth stimulants, and nitrogen, potassium, and bacterial fertilizers are then added to the mixture. Pelleted seeds can be stored for 6-9 months without losing their germinating capacity. They are moistened to about 40-60 percent before sowing.