Intellicoat's Smart Seed Technology
As long as the soil temperature is too cold for healthy germination, the
Intelimer polymer coating maintains a dense crystalline structure around the seed. Like a shell, it forms a
barrier between the seed and moisture in the soil, restricting the seed's ability to absorb
water. By restricting the seed's ability to absorb moisture, the coating protects the seed
under cold, wet conditions.
When the soil warms to a temperature that's safe for healthy seedling growth, the polymer
shell changes. Its physical structure becomes amorphous, making it permeable to water, thus
allowing the seed to absorb the moisture it needs to germinate. What's more, if the weather
gets cold again, the entire process is reversed and repeated until healthy germination is
achieved.
Germination occurs only during optimal growing conditions for a healthy,
uniform emergence and great stand counts on corn planted anywhere from a few days to as many as four weeks early.
Intelimer intelligent polymers
- are derivatives of natural fatty acids, water-based and environmentally safe.
- are materials that respond to temperature changes in a controllable, predictable way.
- can change their permeability based on temperature fluctuations.
- involve a physical, and not a chemical change, so the change is reversible.
Intellicoat seed coatings can be programmed to work in two different ways
Delay Switch
- These polymers delay germination by requiring the coated seed be exposed to a specific amount of accumulated heat units. Pollinator Plus is the current commercial application utilizing
this technology. The coating delays germination of the male inbred seed.
Temperature Switch
- These polymers regulate water intake in the seed which controls germination by controlling
permeability as a function of temperature. The coating can change an infinite number of times between impermeable and permeable as the temperature
moves from cold to hot, then hot to cold across a pre-set temperature.
Early Plant Corn is the current commercial application utilizing this technology.
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