Many growers recognise that spinach is often a challenging crop to cultivate. However, using ActivatedAir, we can see how increased germination can achieve greater outputs for your business.
What results are spinach growers seeing with ActivatedAir?
Sam Gee, one of our plant specialists, discusses his experiences in the lab: “From growers in the industry that I’ve spoken to, spinach has always had that sort of problem child reputation.”
“[We’re at the point now] where we basically use [Spinach] as our model species.”
Using ActivatedAir, the seed priming process has ensured greater crop yield consistency and overall profitability.
“Having higher germination rates means you need to seed less. By using fewer seeds, there’s less work to be done after that and lower costs for overseeding. With more focus, care, and attention, increases of even 5% or 10% in your germination rates can prove massive for your overall yield.”
“On average, it’s between 15-20% yield increases in the field, with some cases seeing up to 30% which for a grower is huge.”
Why Does Germination Matter to Spinach Yields?
As the first stage of the growing cycle, germination is critical to the overall success of your crop.
Sam talks about the importance of germination within the crop cycle and how it can, with the right tools and technology, pave the path to an increase in overall yield.
So, when it comes to germination, what are the two main obstacles?
The first is that seeds are held in a quiescent state, primarily dictated by abscisic acid (ABA) which acts to promote dormancy within a seed – preventing germination.
The second challenge is the seed coat. The embryo, which is the central part of the seed that will germinate and grow into a mature plant, is encapsulated by this coat. Sometimes, there are superficial waxy layers that make the seed largely hydrophobic.
Both are barriers to germination, slowing down the entire process and often resulting in inconsistent and unpredictable yields.
How Does ActivatedAir Work?
At Zayndu, our cold plasma technology, ActivatedAir, focuses on tackling the germination barriers.
For the seed coat, the process involves introducing reactive oxygen and nitrogen to create scarification, which etches the seed coat and increases its surface area.
“By incorporating Oxygen and Nitrogen into the seed coat, whilst simultaneously removing Carbon – we create etches in the seed coat, a form of micro-landscaping. This means, the seed has a greater surface area.” says Sam.
Watch the time-lapse video below to see the quicker absorption time:
Find Out More:
If you’re interested in learning more about improving your germination, contact us at info@zayndu.com. Or catch all of our latest updates by following us on LinkedIn.