In addition to the coating, seed is treated with fungicides to ward off soil-borne pathogens that can attack seed as it lies
in the ground for extended periods of time. The polymer seed coating does several things:
allows for early planting of soybeans into wheat, which minimizes damage to
the wheat when inter-planting soybeans
expands the growing season, giving the producer more latitude and flexibility to work around the weather
and other spring schedules
delays emergence time so the soybean plant does not compete with the wheat plant for light.
Potential advantages of relay cropping
increased profitability by harvesting two crops from the same acres in the same year
allows the farmer to hedge production and price risk by having two crops in the same year
can be used for conservation compliance planning
adds nitrogen for corn production the following year
provides an excellent seedbed for no-till corn
better utilization of farm labor, time and equipment
