Boosting Groundnut Yields with Multilayer Biopolymer Seed Coating: An ICAR–IIOR Validated Technology

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of India's most strategically important oilseed crops, cultivated on roughly 5.0–5.5 million hectares and contributing around 6–7 million tonnes of annual production. It is a cornerstone of farmer livelihoods across Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan—particularly in rainfed and semi-irrigated tracts where alternative income options are limited. Yet, despite its importance to India's edible-oil security and rural economy, groundnut productivity has long been constrained by a familiar set of agronomic problems: poor seedling establishment, susceptibility to seed- and soil-borne pathogens such as Aspergillus, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Rhizoctonia, uneven germination under fluctuating soil moisture, and inefficient delivery of crop inputs through the conventional single-shot seed-treatment approach.

This research note examines a transformative intervention developed by the ICAR–Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (ICAR–IIOR), Telangana: a biopolymer-enabled multilayer seed coating technology that simultaneously addresses the limitations of conventional treatment, integrates compatible bioagents and reduced-dose chemistries, and demonstrably lifts both yield and farmer income. The same patented biopolymer matrix that underpins this institute-led innovation is now available commercially to seed businesses and growers as Seed Primer.

The Limitation of Conventional Groundnut Seed Treatment

In standard farmer practice, seed treatment for groundnut typically involves the single-step application of a fungicide (such as carbendazim, thiram, or mancozeb) or, at best, a basic dust treatment shortly before sowing. While these treatments offer a measure of pathogen protection, they suffer from well-documented shortcomings:

• Uneven coverage: Powder and slurry treatments often leave portions of the seed coat under-treated, creating "windows" for pathogen entry.
• Bioagent incompatibility: Many chemical fungicides are incompatible with beneficial microbes such as Trichoderma or Pseudomonas, ruling out integrated biological protection in a single dose.
• Wash-off and dust-off losses: Without a film-forming carrier, a significant proportion of the active ingredient is lost to handling, transport, and the seed bed soil—reducing the effective dose at the germination zone.
• No controlled release: Conventional treatments deliver everything at once. Beneficial inputs that the seedling needs after radicle emergence (micronutrients, biostimulants, beneficial bacteria) are either lost early or never reach the root environment.
• High input cost without proportional yield gain: Excess active ingredient is used to compensate for losses, raising cost-of-cultivation without translating to commensurate productivity.

These limitations are particularly acute for groundnut, where the seed is large, lipid-rich, and physically delicate. Poor stand establishment in groundnut directly translates to lower pod yield, compromised oil content, and reduced returns per hectare.

The ICAR–IIOR Innovation: Multilayer Biopolymer Seed Coating

To address these constraints, ICAR–IIOR has developed a multilayer seed coating technology built around a patented functionally modified biopolymer matrix. Unlike single-step treatments, the technology constructs the coating in deliberate, sequenced layers around the seed—each engineered for a specific role.

The coating architecture typically comprises:

1. A primer / adhesion layer that bonds firmly to the seed coat and provides the foundational matrix for subsequent layers.
2. A protectant layer carrying reduced-dose chemical fungicides or insecticides for early pathogen and pest control.
3. A bioagent layer carrying compatible beneficial microbes (Trichoderma, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium) that are physically separated from incompatible chemicals by the polymer film.
4. A nutrient / biostimulant layer carrying micronutrients (Zn, B, Mo) and biostimulants that are released as the seedling emerges.

The biopolymer film around each layer enables spatially and temporally controlled release—chemical protectants act first, beneficial microbes establish in the rhizosphere as the seed imbibes water, and nutrients become available in tune with seedling demand. The film is 100% biodegradable and breaks down completely in soil within approximately 35–60 days, leaving no persistent microplastics.

This is precisely the technology family that has been commercialised for Indian seed businesses and growers under the Seed Primer brand—a product developed through years of R&D in collaboration with ICAR–IIOR and validated through rigorous lab, greenhouse, and field trials.

Telangana Field Validation: The Rampur Thanda Demonstration

Under ICAR's Farmers FIRST Programme, the multilayer biopolymer seed coating was demonstrated at Rampur Thanda village in Vikarabad district of Telangana across two consecutive seasons—Early Kharif 2025–26 (6 ha) and Rabi 2025–26 (18 ha), totalling 24 hectares of direct comparison against farmers' conventional practice.

Yield Performance

Season	Multilayer Biopolymer Coating	Farmers' Practice	Advantage
Early Kharif 2025–26	15.7 q ha⁻¹	12.3 q ha⁻¹	+27.6%
Rabi 2025–26	22.74 q ha⁻¹	17.85 q ha⁻¹	+27.4%
Annual area-weighted average	20.98 q ha⁻¹	16.46 q ha⁻¹	+27.5%

The consistency of the yield advantage—nearly identical across two distinct seasons with different temperature, moisture, and pest pressure regimes—is a strong indicator that the gain is structural rather than circumstantial. It reflects genuine improvements in stand establishment, crop input efficiency, and stress tolerance, not a one-season anomaly.

Economics

The agronomic gain translates directly into farmer income:

Parameter	Multilayer Biopolymer Coating	Farmers' Practice
Gross returns per hectare	₹1,75,727	₹1,41,068
Cost of cultivation	~17% lower	Baseline
Net returns per hectare	₹1,28,332	₹83,829
Benefit–Cost ratio	3.70	2.53

The benefit–cost ratio improved from 2.53 to 3.70—a 46% economic advantage for the participating farmers. Significantly, the cost of cultivation actually decreased by approximately 17% under the biopolymer treatment, because better input-use efficiency allowed equivalent or superior crop performance at reduced dosages of active ingredient. This is a critical departure from the assumption that yield improvements must come at the expense of higher input cost.

Agronomic Benefits

Beyond the headline numbers, the demonstrations established several agronomic advantages of the multilayer coating approach:

• Improved early crop establishment and uniform plant vigour, attributable to the optimised seed micro-environment created by the biopolymer film.
• Enhanced tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress during the seedling stage, when groundnut is most vulnerable.
• Efficient use of multiple crop inputs at reduced dosages, due to controlled release and minimal wash-off / dust-off losses.
• Compatibility between chemical and biological inputs in a single coated seed, made possible by the spatial separation enforced by the multilayer architecture.

Farmers participating in the demonstrations consistently reported better crop growth and improved profitability, and substantial interest emerged from neighbouring growers in Vikarabad district to adopt the technology in subsequent seasons.

Three Seed-Treatment Pathways for Groundnut

For seed processors, distributors, and agronomic advisors, the practical question is which treatment pathway to recommend. Three options dominate the Indian market for groundnut seed today.

1. Basic Chemical

A single fungicide (commonly carbendazim, thiram, or mancozeb) is applied as a dust or slurry shortly before sowing. This is the lowest-cost option and provides a baseline of protection against Aspergillus seed rot and early seedling diseases.

• Strengths: Cheap, familiar, widely available.
• Limitations: Uneven coverage, significant dust-off and handling losses, no nutrient or biological component, no controlled release, no compatibility with beneficial microbes.

2. Integrated Chemical

A combination of fungicide and insecticide (e.g., thiram + imidacloprid) is applied, sometimes with a polymer binder to reduce dust-off. This offers broader-spectrum early protection.

• Strengths: Better pest and pathogen coverage than basic chemical; some improvement in handling.
• Limitations: Higher chemical load and cost; still no biological component; environmental concerns around higher active-ingredient use; bioagents cannot be added because they would be killed by the chemistry.

3. Biological / Multilayer Biopolymer (Recommended)

The multilayer biopolymer pathway—commercialised through Seed Primer—delivers reduced-dose chemical protection, compatible bioagents, micronutrients, and biostimulants in a single coated seed, with controlled release tuned to seedling demand. This is the pathway validated by ICAR–IIOR and demonstrated under Indian field conditions to deliver superior yield and economics.

• Strengths: Highest yield advantage (~27.5% over farmers' practice in Telangana trials); 17% lower cost of cultivation; 46% better benefit–cost ratio; ~50% less systemic active ingredient required for equivalent protection; compatible with chemical and biological inputs in a single coating; biodegradable with no microplastic residue; ICAR-validated for stakeholder communication and marketing.
• Considerations: Requires standard seed-treatment equipment (batch drum, rotary coater, or slurry coater) and crop-specific optimised dosage—both readily available with technical support.

For seed businesses operating in groundnut and other oilseed value chains, the biological multilayer pathway represents both the most defensible recommendation on agronomic grounds and the most differentiated value proposition for customers.

Why Seed Primer Is the Commercial Embodiment

Seed Primer is the commercial product family that brings the ICAR–IIOR multilayer biopolymer technology to seed businesses, processors, and farmers at scale. The PRIME series of polymers within Seed Primer is engineered specifically for the multilayer coating workflow described above.

Key technical attributes:

• Patented film-forming biopolymer that forms a 3–18 µm film around the seed depending on dose, enabling slow release of actives.
• 100% micro-plastic free, with >95% (typically ~99.9%) degradation in soil—materially superior to conventional synthetic coatings that persist and can harm seed and soil health.
• Quick drying (235 cP viscosity at 25 °C) for high-throughput seed processing lines.
• 24-month shelf life when stored correctly, supporting commercial supply chain reliability.
• UV stable up to 60 days post-coating, preserving visual coverage confirmation and treatment integrity.
• ICAR-validated: independent ICAR trials confirm superior germination, vigour, stand establishment, and yield under field conditions—available for stakeholder communication and packaging claims.

For seed companies, Seed Primer integrates flawlessly into existing seed treatment lines—batch drum, rotary coater, or slurry coater—with crop-specific Standard Operating Procedures available to ensure consistent, cost-efficient application from day one. Strategic partnership with ICAR–IIOR underpins ongoing validation across crops, including the multilayer architecture demonstrated above for groundnut.

Application Guidance for Groundnut

For groundnut, the multilayer biopolymer coating is most effective when applied through a standard rotary or drum coater under controlled conditions:

1. Prepare the slurry: combine Seed Primer biopolymer with carrier water (approximately equal volume, per crop-specific dosage guideline) and the desired active ingredient(s) for the relevant layer. Agitate to ensure uniform dispersion.
2. Coat the seed: place cleaned, graded groundnut kernels in the coater. Apply the pre-mixed slurry for approximately 1–2 minutes to ensure complete coverage.
3. Build subsequent layers: for the multilayer architecture, repeat with the bioagent slurry, then the nutrient/biostimulant slurry, allowing brief drying between layers.
4. Dry thoroughly: Seed Primer's fast-drying property locks in each layer and provides visual confirmation of uniform coverage. Allow seeds to dry fully before bagging or sowing.
5. Follow crop-specific dosage: refer to the Seed Primer technical SOP for groundnut for exact polymer-to-seed and water-to-polymer ratios. Calibration to crop and equipment is critical for consistent performance.

Practical guardrails: use minimal carrier water (typically up to equal quantity by weight as the polymer), maintain coater RPM within the recommended range to avoid kernel splitting, and verify dryness before re-bagging to prevent caking in storage.

Conclusion: A Validated Path to Higher Groundnut Productivity

The ICAR–IIOR demonstration at Rampur Thanda is more than a single-village success story—it is a robust, two-season, multi-hectare proof-of-concept that multilayer biopolymer seed coating can simultaneously raise groundnut yields, lower cost of cultivation, and substantially improve farmer profitability. A 27.5% yield advantage, a 46% improvement in benefit–cost ratio, and a 17% reduction in cost of cultivation are not marginal gains; they are transformative numbers for India's oilseed sector.

For seed businesses, processors, and growers seeking to translate this validated science into reliable commercial performance, Seed Primer delivers the same patented biopolymer technology in a market-ready form—with strategic ICAR partnership, comprehensive crop-specific SOPs, and proven integration into existing seed treatment infrastructure. As India accelerates its push toward edible-oil self-sufficiency, technologies of this kind move from "promising innovation" to "operational necessity"—and Seed Primer offers the most credible commercial route to adoption.

References and Sources

• ICAR. (2025). ICAR–IIOR's Innovative Seed Coating Intervention Boosts Groundnut Yields and Farmers' Income in Telangana. Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Available at: https://icar.org.in/en/icar-iiors-innovative-seed-coating-intervention-boosts-groundnut-yields-and-farmers-income
• Chandrika, K.S.V.P., Singh, A., Prasad, R.D., Yadav, P., Dhara, M., Kavya, M., Kumar, A., & Gopalan, B. (2025). Porous crosslinked CMC-PVA biopolymer films: Synthesis, standardization, and application in seed coating for improved germination. Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications, 11, 100900.
• ICAR–Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (IIOR), Hyderabad—technology development and field validation.
• Seed Primer Technical Product Data Sheet, PRIME Series (Yaduka Agrotech Pvt. Ltd.).

Source acknowledgement: ICAR–Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Telangana.