How is application rate typically expressed for seed treatments?

• A. Milligrams of active ingredient per kilogram of seed (mg ai/kg seed) or as a per-seed dose.
• B. Liters per hectare.
• C. Percent of seeds treated.
• D. Pounds per bag.

Answer: (A)

Seed-treatment dosing is expressed as the amount of active ingredient on the seed itself, typically in milligrams of active ingredient per kilogram of seed or as a dose per seed. This reflects that the coating is applied to individual seeds, so what matters is how much chemical each seed receives to achieve consistent protection across the entire lot. Using mg ai/kg seed or a per-seed dose accounts for differences in seed size and weight, making the dose uniform regardless of seed variation. Other expressions like liters per hectare are used for field sprays and don’t translate to seed coatings. Expressing a rate as the percent of seeds treated tells you coverage, not the actual amount per seed, and pounds per bag is a packaging quantity, not the applied dose per seed.