Paper · 2001 · HortScience

Seed Coating Technologies and Treatments for Onion: Challenges and Progress

Alan G. Taylor; C.J. Eckenrode; R.W. Straub

9
claims
18
verbatim quotes
101
citations
4
research areas
✓
Open access

Abstract

Conventional methods to control the onion maggot or onion fly, Delia antiqua (Meigen), have relied on in-furrow applications of the toxicant pesticide, chlorpyrifos. The objective of this research was to develop an onion ( Allium cepa L.) seed treatment that utilizes a new chemistry compound that is environmentally safe. Cyromazine is an insect growth regulator with a mode of action different from traditional pesticides used to control onion maggot. Cyromazine has low mammalian toxicity and is relatively nontoxic to other insects, including beneficials. High seed loading rates (50 g·kg -1 active ingredient) are required for optimal efficacy, and conventional slurry methods are inadequate to apply these high loading rates. Film coating and pelleting were performed at Cornell Univ. to apply cyromazine and a registered fungicide (a formulation of thiram and carboxin) to onion seeds. Results of field studies performed over several years revealed that stand losses due to the onion maggot ranged from ≈20% to 60%. Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelleting decreased the loss by onion maggot from 1% to 8%, and efficacy was comparable to an in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos. Cyromazine was registered as a seed treatment and is commercially used in the northeastern and midwestern United States, where onion maggot is a serious pest. Field emergence was not negatively affected by cyromazine coated onto the seeds when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils. There is other evidence, however, that cyromazine seed treatments may cause phytotoxicity to germination and seedling growth. Testing seed quality in sand or on roll towels revealed a high percentage of abnormal seedlings. Retarded root growth was observed in seeds treated with cyromazine, resulting in an increase in abnormal seedling classifications. A finely ground sphagnum peatmoss applied over the seeds in a roll towel test ameliorated the abnormal root growth symptoms, and seedlings had robust growth. Collectively, film coating and pelleting were effective delivery systems for the application of plant protectants required at time of sowing. Modification of the standard germination test was needed to accurately assess onion seed quality. Moreover, this project was successful due to a team effort of a university seed scientist and entomologists working with onion growers and industry. Future registrations on small acreage, high-value horticultural crops are envisioned to require similar multi-partner approaches. Chemical name used: N -cyclopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine (cyromazine).

Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗

The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 9

Observationobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Field stand losses due to onion maggot ranged from about 20% to 60%.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae1
Interactor
onion maggotDelia antiquae0pest
Outcome
stand losses due to the onion maggote0
Value
≈20% to 60%e0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗
Delia antiqua
Delia antiqua · InteractorRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“stand losses due to the onion maggot ranged from ≈20% to 60%.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 961–1022 · show in text ↑
e1

“onion ( Allium cepa L.)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 215–238 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Film-coated cyromazine reduced maggot-related stand loss to 1% to 8%.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae1
Treatment
Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelletinge0
Interactor
onion maggotDelia antiquae0pest
Outcome
loss by onion maggote0
Direction
decreasede0
Value
1% to 8%e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗
Delia antiqua
Delia antiqua · InteractorRasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelleting decreased the loss by onion maggot from 1% to 8%”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1023–1126 · show in text ↑
e1

“onion ( Allium cepa L.)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 215–238 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Cyromazine efficacy was comparable to in-furrow chlorpyrifos.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae2
Treatment
Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelletinge1
Outcome
efficacye0
Direction
comparablee0
Comparator
in-furrow application of chlorpyrifose0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“efficacy was comparable to an in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1132–1200 · show in text ↑
e1

“Cyromazine applied by either film coating or pelleting”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1023–1077 · show in text ↑
e2

“onion ( Allium cepa L.)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 215–238 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Cyromazine coating did not negatively affect field emergence in muck soils.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae0
Treatment
cyromazine coated onto the seedse0
Outcome
Field emergencee0
Direction
not negatively affectede0
Setting
organic (muck) soilse0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Field emergence was not negatively affected by cyromazine coated onto the seeds when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1360–1490 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Seed quality testing found a high percentage of abnormal seedlings after cyromazine treatment.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae2
Treatment
cyromazine seed treatmentse1
Outcome
abnormal seedlingse0
Direction
high percentagee0
Setting
sand or on roll towelse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Testing seed quality in sand or on roll towels revealed a high percentage of abnormal seedlings.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1617–1713 · show in text ↑
e1

“cyromazine seed treatments may cause phytotoxicity to germination and seedling growth.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1530–1616 · show in text ↑
e2

“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1440–1490 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Cyromazine retarded root growth.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae1
Treatment
treated with cyromazinee0
Outcome
root growthe0
Direction
Retardede0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Retarded root growth was observed in seeds treated with cyromazine”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1714–1780 · show in text ↑
e1

“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1440–1490 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Peatmoss ameliorated abnormal root growth symptoms and yielded robust seedlings.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae1
Treatment
finely ground sphagnum peatmoss applied over the seedse0
Outcome
abnormal root growth symptomse0
Direction
amelioratede0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“A finely ground sphagnum peatmoss applied over the seeds in a roll towel test ameliorated the abnormal root growth symptoms, and seedlings had robust growth.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1845–2002 · show in text ↑
e1

“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1440–1490 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Film coating and pelleting were effective protectant delivery systems.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae1
Outcome
effective delivery systemse0
Comparator
film coating and pelletinge0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“film coating and pelleting were effective delivery systems for the application of plant protectants required at time of sowing.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 2017–2144 · show in text ↑
e1

“when onion seeds are sown in organic (muck) soils.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1440–1490 · show in text ↑
Recommendationauthor interpretationoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

Standard germination testing required modification to assess onion seed quality accurately.

Taxon
onionAllium cepae0
Outcome
Modification of the standard germination teste0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Allium cepa
Allium cepa · TaxonMehdi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Modification of the standard germination test was needed to accurately assess onion seed quality.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 2145–2242 · show in text ↑

cyromazine · Delia antiqua · Allium cepa (onion)Results agree

3 papers: 3 positive, 0 negative or no effect

2 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
See all 3 papers →

seed treatment · control · Allium cepa (onion)Positive and negative results

2 papers: 1 positive, 1 negative or no effect

1 in the opposite direction

  1. negative
See all 2 papers →

seed treatment · Delia antiqua · Allium cepa (onion)Results agree

5 papers: 5 positive, 0 negative or no effect

4 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

1 paper more in this group

See all 5 papers →

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.