Defang Zeng, Zhao Fan, Wenjin Wang
A novel, environmentally friendly seed coating agent for maize is formulated from natural polysaccharide polymers extracted from pollution-free aquatic sources in the deep sea, complemented by additional additives. Laboratory and field tests demonstrate that this seed coating agent achieves an antibacterial rate exceeding 90% and an insect pest antifeeding rate surpassing 81%. Compared to conventional seed coating agents and untreated controls, maize yield increased by 14.4% and 17.3%, respectively. The LD50 of this seed coating agent is ten times higher than conventional agents, indicating enhanced safety and environmental compatibility. The agent exhibits five key characteristics: antibiosis, insect repellence, enhanced stress tolerance, increased yield, and environmental safety. Research on the activity of specific enzymes (e.g., POD, CAT, SOD) and chlorophyll content in maize seedlings indicates that the observed resistance and yield improvements are primarily due to the activation of these enzymes and the increased chlorophyll proportion induced by the seed coating agent.