Every season reinforces the same lesson for me: the earliest days of a crop are the most critical and often the least forgiving. Once seed goes into the ground, its environment determines whether it emerges strong, uneven or not at all. That’s why seed treatment matters.

The 2025 season gave us a clear reminder of how vulnerable seed can be under northern conditions. Cool soils, frequent moisture and extended emergence windows created ideal conditions for early-season disease pressure. Those field observations ultimately led us to refine our seed treatment package for the 2026 season.

This wasn’t a reaction to failure. It was driven by improved access to advanced molecules and treatment options that allow us to strengthen protection without increasing seed load or cost.

What 2025 Taught Us

Untreated soybeans

Treated soybeans

Across our footprint, many acres were planted into acceptable conditions, only to turn cold and wet shortly afterward. Seed sat in the ground longer than normal, increasing exposure to soilborne pathogens like pythium, phytophthora, fusarium and rhizoctonia.

In those situations, emergence became inconsistent, stands thinned and yield potential was compromised before plants ever reached the surface.

What stood out wasn’t just that disease occurred, but how quickly it took advantage of those conditions. That reinforced the need for seed protection that works immediately at planting and continues as the seedling develops.

How the 2026 Treatment Was Improved

Using those lessons, we refined our seed treatment package heading into 2026. The focus was on improving performance without increasing total seed load or cost.

At Peterson, we offer two soybean treatment options:

Peterson Select (Fungicide)

Peterson Select is a robust, complete fungicide package designed to address the wide range of early-season soybean diseases we commonly see in our region. This premium blend combines four active ingredients with both systemic and contact modes of action, providing protection at the seed surface and as the seedling grows.

This approach improves control of pythium, phytophthora, fusarium and rhizoctonia, while supporting stronger root development and early seedling vigor. By selecting more effective molecules at lower use rates, we’re able to deliver stronger disease protection while keeping total application volume within the optimal 5–6 ounces per hundredweight. That balance preserves flexibility for inoculants or other additives when appropriate.

Peterson Select+ (Fungicide + Insecticide)

Peterson Select+ builds on the same fungicide foundation, with the addition of thiamethoxam for early-season insect protection.

The on-seed insecticide provides systemic control of pests such as aphids, thrips and seed corn maggot, helping protect seedlings during their most vulnerable growth stages. Because thiamethoxam moves within the plant, it delivers consistent protection without relying on perfect placement or additional in-season passes. It also fits well within integrated pest management programs, often reducing the need for early foliar insecticide applications.

Beyond Soybeans: Cereals Protection

We applied the same philosophy to our wheat offerings. Peterson Select Cereals and Peterson Select+ Cereals provide broad-spectrum protection against diseases such as pythium, fusarium, rhizoctonia, seed rots, root rot and early leaf diseases. The Select+ Cereals option adds thiamethoxam to protect against both above- and below-ground pests, including wireworms, aphids and early season grasshoppers.

Why Seed Treatment Still Matters Every Year

No two springs are ever the same. A robust seed treatment package provides your crop a form of insurance to protect it during the most vulnerable phase of the crop’s life, when stress, disease or delayed emergence can permanently limit yield.

When you compare the cost of treatment to the risk of replanting or the hidden loss of uneven emergence, the value becomes clear. Seed treatment isn’t an optional add-on; it’s part of protecting everything you plan to harvest.

Use our Find Your Fit tool to match soybean varieties to your ground: https://www.peterson.ag/products/soybeans/find-your-fit/