Reliability of INCOTEC Special for the onion growers in the American North East

This year again, onion growers in Quebec and Ontario, were able to appreciate the performance of the INCOTEC Special priming.

Despite very poor planting and growing conditions (too dry at the beginning, then too wet and cold), onion growers were still able to get an early stand establishment resulting in a good uniform stand.

INCOTEC Special is the commercial name for INCOTEC's priming. This technique improves the germination behavior of the seed.

It results in faster and more uniform germination over a broader range of temperature.

INCOTEC Special has been introduced to the N-E onion growers in 1999. From a few acres of trials last year, it increased to a few thousand acres in 2000. The consistent performance of INCOTEC Special has demonstrated to the growers the benefits of using primed seed.

The faster and more uniform germination of primed onion seed surprised quite a few growers.

They realized afterward that you do have to change your cultural practices if you want to maximize the benefits of planting primed seed.

Most onion growers have indicated already that for next year they will order their onion seed pelleted (INCOTEC 118), encrusted (OnX) or film coated (Vision) with the INCOTEC Special.

Written in 2000