Seed coating composition

A seed coating composition comprising:

• one or more biologically active ingredients selected from fungicidal agents and insecticidal agents:
• 20-40% by weight of the seed coating composition of a wax and/or a starch;
• and
• less than 4% by weight of the seed coating composition of a polymeric binder excluding a wax and/or a starch, where the polymeric binder excluding a wax and/or a starch is one or more of a polyvinyl acetate, a polyvinyl acetate copolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, a polyurethane, a cellulose, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, a dextrin, a maltodextrin, a fat, an oil, a protein, a gum arabic, a shellac, a vinylidene chloride, a vinylidene chloride copolymer, a calcium lignosulphonate, a polyacrylate, an acrylic copolymer, a polyvinylacrylate, a zein, casein, a gelatin, chitosan, pullulan, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, ethylene vinylacetate, an acrylamide polymer, an acrylamide copolymer, a polyhydroxyethyl acrylate, a methylacrylimide monomer, a poly(N-vinylacetamide), sodium alginate, a polychloroprene and a syrup.

A method of improving release of a hydrophobic and/or water-insoluble biologically active plant protective product from a seed coating composition, the method comprising:

• treating an untreated seed surface with a composition comprising:
• a water-insoluble biologically active plant protective product;
• 20-40% by weight of the seed coating composition of a wax and/or a starch;
• and
• less than 4% by weight of the seed coating composition of a polymeric binder excluding a wax and/or a starch, where the polymeric binder excluding a wax and/or a starch is one or more of a polyvinyl acetate, a polyvinyl acetate copolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, a polyurethane, a cellulose, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, a dextrin, a maltodextrin, a fat, an oil, a protein, a gum arabic, a shellac, a vinylidene chloride, a vinylidene chloride copolymer, a calcium lignosulphonate, a polyacrylate, an acrylic copolymer, a polyvinylacrylate, a zein, casein, a gelatin, chitosan, pullulan, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, ethylene vinylacetate, an acrylamide polymer, an acrylamide copolymer, a polyhydroxyethyl acrylate, a methylacrylimide monomer, a poly(N-vinylacetamide), sodium alginate, a polychloroprene and a syrup.

A method of reducing the amount of consumption of a leaf of an agricultural crop, the method comprising:

• treating a surface of a seed from which the agricultural crop is grown with a composition, the composition comprising:
• a hydrophobic and/or water-insoluble pesticidal agent;
• 20-40% by weight of the seed coating composition of a wax and/or a starch;
• and
• less than 4% by weight of the seed coating composition of a polymeric binder excluding a wax and/or a starch, where the polymeric binder excluding a wax and/or a starch is one or more of a polyvinyl acetate, a polyvinyl acetate copolymer, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, a polyurethane, a cellulose, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, a dextrin, a maltodextrin, a fat, an oil, a protein, a gum arabic, a shellac, a vinylidene chloride, a vinylidene chloride copolymer, a calcium lignosulphonate, a polyacrylate, an acrylic copolymer, a polyvinylacrylate, a zein, casein, a gelatin, chitosan, pullulan, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, ethylene vinylacetate, an acrylamide polymer, an acrylamide copolymer, a polyhydroxyethyl acrylate, a methylacrylimide monomer, a poly(N-vinylacetamide), sodium alginate, a polychloroprene and a syrup.