Pod Sealant on Birdsfoot Trefoil
Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) is a non-bloating perennial legume that is used as a pasture legume around the world (Sareen 2004). Seed production of trefoil, especially pedigreed seed is not meeting demand and seed prices have increased substantially in recent years. The lack of seed production has been attributed to a number of reasons but seed shattering (Figure 1) can be one of the causes (Winch et al. 1985).
Pod sealants have come on the market in recent years and they have been promoted as a tool to help reduce seed shatter in a number of different crops including forage species such as alfalfa and grass. Pod sealants are made of natural (Pod Ceal DC) and synthetic (Pod-Stik) products that coat the pods reducing moisture loss which delays pod maturity allowing more immature seed to develop prior to seed shattering.