Effect of seed pelleting with micronutrients on emergence and early growth of maize

Abstract:

A single maize seed weighs roughly 300 mg, yet it must supply the germinating embryo with enough mineral nutrition to build a functional root-shoot axis before soil reserves become accessible. This research evaluated the effect of pelleting maize seeds (Zea mays L., hybrid PR38A24) with zinc sulphate, ferrous sulphate, manganese sulphate, and a triple-micronutrient combination on field emergence, seedling growth, and vigour under the sandy loam conditions of the Po Valley near Turin, Italy. A sixth treatment using a commercial polymer seed coating served as an additional comparison. The trial was conducted in spring 2023 at the Collegio di Agricoltura del Piemonte experimental station in a randomised complete block design with five replications. The triple-micronutrient pellet (Zn + Fe + Mn) produced the highest field emergence (87.9% vs 71.4% in uncoated control), the longest shoot (19.4 cm vs 14.8 cm at 14 DAS), and the greatest vigour index (1,706 vs 1,049). Individual micronutrient pellets improved emergence by 6-15% over the control, with Zn showing the strongest single-element response. These results indicate that a simple pelleting step with a Zn-Fe-Mn blend can substantially improve maize stand establishment.