A new seed coat has been developed to assist in establishment and rhizobia inoculation of seedling roots.
Mico-Rizo is a gypsum-based seed coating with the micronutrient molybdenum added. This seed
coating was patented in 1999 (paten # 5,994,265). The Mico-Rizo seed coating was evaluated in trials
at Kimberly and in Camas Co. Idaho. The first trial was planted 3 September 1999 at the Kimberly R&E
Center with 5 x 17.5 foot plots with four replications. Seed were sown at 1/4 inch depth with a press
wheel drill in 6-inch rows. Seeding rate for all treatments was 16 lbs/ac, so treatments with the 33% seed
coat actually had 33% fewer seed planted. The Kimberly trial included the varieties GA00, Rampage,
and ZG9850. The same seed lot was used for the pre-inoculated (PI) treatment and the Mico-Rizo
treatment.