Apparatus for the treatment of seed

A method for the treatment of seed with a treatment agent, comprising the steps of:

• A) providing a rotary drum defining a longitudinal axis, two longitudinally spaced end walls interconnected by a generally cylindrical peripheral wall, a bottom portion of said drum forming a seed-carrying space, at least first and second rows of circumferentially spaced stirring plates mounted to an inwardly facing surface of said drum, said first and second rows of plates being longitudinally spaced apart to define a vertical flow passage therebetween, said plates of said first row being angularly offset about said axis relative to said plates of said second row whereby the plates of each row reach their uppermost positions in the drum at different times than the plates of the other row, each plate being inclined at an angle of inclination relative to said axis such that when each plate is located at its uppermost position in said drum, a remote edge of said plate located farthest from said vertical flow passage is higher than a proximal edge of said plate located closest to said vertical flow passage;
• B) introducing seed into said drum to form a seed bed in said seed-carrying space;
• C) repeatedly rotating said drum about a substantially horizontal axis intersecting said two end walls so that stirring plates raise seed from said seed-carrying space, some of the raised seed falling from said remote edges of said stirring plates, and the rest of the raised seed falling from said proximate edges and into said vertical flow passage for downward travel back to said seed-carrying space;
• and
• D) introducing seed treatment agent into said drum during step C so that said treatment agent is applied onto seed as the seed travels downwardly along said vertical flow passage.