Seed priming and upgrading, to make germination faster, more uniform and more reliable under a wide range of growing conditions and climates; Seed pelleting and encrusting, to make planting easier and spacing more precise; Precision application of seed treatments, such as agrochemical pesticides and beneficial microbes, using film-coating and other techniques, to eradicate seed-borne pathogens and counter the effects of crop pests and diseases and promote healthy plant development.

Our researchers and scientific support staff work on a wide portfolio of seed species, using a broad, multi-disciplinary scientific approach. New product developments are validated through a combination of partnership testing programmes with clients and research institutes, alongside in-house laboratory and agronomic assessment, before being transferred to commercial production.

Examples of recent projects include: ready-mix polymer-based film-coating systems for accurate placement of plant-protection chemicals onto individual seeds; and a growing range of ‘eco’ seed cleaning treatments, that do not rely on synthetic pesticides.

Germain’s Research Team is based in King’s Lynn, in new purpose-built laboratories that were inaugurated in 2000.