How seed coatings support grass seed establishment

What does grass seed need to germinate?

Successful germination depends on several factors, including moisture, temperature and good seed-to-soil contact.

Once a seed begins taking up water, maintaining suitable conditions around it becomes particularly important. If moisture becomes limiting, or conditions are otherwise unsuitable, germination and establishment can be disrupted.

This is why newly seeded turf requires careful management until seedlings are sufficiently established.

What is a seed coating?

A seed coating is a material applied to the outside of the seed before it is supplied for sowing.

Different coating technologies are designed to perform different functions. They may help manage moisture around the seed, position nutrients or other components close to the emerging seedling, improve seed visibility, or combine several of these functions.

The important distinction is that not all seed coatings work in the same way.

How can seed coatings support establishment?

Some coatings use water-absorbing polymers that expand when they come into contact with rainfall or irrigation, helping retain moisture close to the seed during germination.

Others are used to position selected nutrients or other components close to the developing seedling. This can be useful during early development, when the young root system can access only a limited volume of the surrounding rootzone.

ICL seed coating technologies

ICL uses two different seed coating technologies because they support different stages of establishment.

• Smart Start is primarily about water around the seed. Its polymer coating absorbs and retains moisture during germination, helping reduce the risk of the immediate area around the seed drying too quickly.
• ZipSeed is primarily about the developing seedling. It places zinc, magnesium, humic acid and amino acids close to the seed to support germination, root and shoot development and early establishment.

Put simply, Smart Start helps manage the seed’s moisture environment, while ZipSeed supports the seedling as it develops.

Smart Start^™

Smart Start is a biodegradable polymer seed coating designed primarily to help manage moisture during germination.

The coating absorbs available moisture and holds it close to the seed. It also incorporates iron, zinc and manganese, positioning these micronutrients close to the developing seedling.

Its distinctive blue color makes SmartStart-treated seed easier to identify during application.

Smart Start-treated grass seed with its distinctive blue coating

Its distinctive blue color makes SmartStart-treated seed easier to identify during application.

ZipSeed^®

ZipSeed is a pre-applied seed coating treatment designed to support germination and early seedling development.

The coating combines zinc and magnesium with humic acid and amino acids, positioning these components close to the developing seedling.

ZipSeed-treated seed can be identified by its green color.

Seed coatings are only part of establishment

Seed coatings cannot compensate for unsuitable establishment conditions.

Correct seedbed preparation, good seed-to-soil contact, suitable temperatures, appropriate irrigation and subsequent turf management remain fundamental to successful establishment.