b'ORGANIC SEED TREATMENT DEMAND RISESAs the need for organic pea protein goes up, so does the need for seed-applied technologies that can be approved for organic use.Treena Hein PRODUCTION OF ORGANICfield crops is growing in Canada. France-based Roquette, for example, is keen to increase organic pea production this year to feed its Manitoba processing facility where plant-based protein ingredients are being produced. In 2020, for the first time, more acres of organic hemp were contracted in Western Canada by at least one Canadian company than conven-tional hemp in order to meet rising demands for organic hemp food products. The 2019 Organic Agriculture in the Prairies report from the Canadian Organic Trade Association states that the Prairies are a key area in Canada for organic production, and growth in acreage was significant from 2014 to 2018, with a slight decline between 2018 and 2019, mostly in organicFor XiteBio to create its microbial inoculants, the pool of strains extracted from soil samples was wheat. Prairie organic crop acreageover 50,000 at first. was 1.8 million in 2018 and many industry experts believe it will reachbacteria inoculants for improvedthe Organic Materials Review Institute two million in 2021. nitrogen fixation or mycorrhizal fungi(OMRI) in the United States, says that Organic seed treatments, whichfor enhanced nutrient uptake. these days his organization is seeing in Canada must be allowed underThe Organic Seed Resourceapplications for microbial inoculants, the Canadian Organic StandardGuide, created by the Organicand mined minerals (both as natural and Permitted Substances List, areAgriculture Community of thecarriers for inoculants and as lubri-therefore in demand. Jessica Shade,eXtension Foundation of the U.S.cants), as well as sanitizers such as director of science programs for theCooperative Extension System, statesperacetic acid, which as a pesticide, U.S.-based Organic Center (whichthat the evaluation of plant extractsis classified as a production aid in the conducts research on organic foodand oils as organic seed treatmentspermitted substances list, but these and farming) notes that they can beis a new research area. There is cur- types of seed treatments have been as simple as hot water treatments torently little data on their efficacy, butaround for some time. eradicate seedborne diseases.plant oils such as thyme, cinnamon,Microbial inoculants previously Organic seed treatments alsoclove, lemongrass, oregano, savory,approved for conventional use in include combined priming (havingand garlic show some potential toCanada can be re-approved for the seed absorb just enough water tosuppress damping-off, and thyme oilorganic use, a trend that popped up be ready to germinate) with pelletingis in use in Europe as a seed treat- again in the market last year when (a coating of clay mix to make thement. Pure soybean or mineral oilsXiteBios liquid innoculants XiteBio seeds more uniform for more evenhave been shown to reduce storageSoyRhizo (Bradyrhizobium japoni-dispersal). There are also organicmolds of maize and soybean. cum) and XiteBio PulseRhizo for biological seed treatments such asDoug Currier, technical director atpea, lentil and faba bean (Rhizobium 48GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2021'