July is the point in the year when the season starts to turn. Harvest is underway for many, and autumn drilling plans are already forming. For growers in the UK now is the time to decide on including a seed treatment and Surge Bio Seed Treatment from Fielder is worth putting on your list.
Why Surge? Where Microbes Meet Nutrition
Surge is a biological and nutritional seed treatment, built around three Bacillus strains and a manganese-rich micronutrient package. Both components start working from the moment the seed enters the soil. As roots develop, the Bacillus bacteria colonise the root surface and form a symbiotic relationship with the plant. That early interaction in the rhizosphere gives crops a stronger base to grow from.
“Bacillus species are naturally occurring, spore-forming bacteria that colonise the root surface on germination and form a symbiotic relationship with the plant.”
Dr Apostolos Papadopoulos, R&D Director, Crop Intellect
Around 70% of UK arable soils are manganese deficient, and the Mn in Surge tackles that directly. It delivers a safe and highly available form alongside the biology. That combination supports soil health and immediate crop nutrition from the first days after sowing. Surge also holds full OF&G approval, making it a practical option for organic and conventional programmes alike.
What Surge Does in the Field
The benefits show up in rooting first. Surge accelerates early emergence and strengthens root biomass, giving crops a stronger foundation to build on. It also activates internal defence signalling pathways, building natural help against threats like Yellow Rust and Septoria.
Beyond rooting and disease resilience, Surge fixes nitrogen in the rhizosphere and solubilises phosphorus locked in the soil. Growers who use it consistently reduce their reliance on synthetic inputs. Reducing that reliance supports both crop margins and longer-term soil biology.
Case Study: Winter Wheat Trial, Shropshire, April 2026
An independent farm trial on a winter wheat crop in Shropshire delivered results that are hard to argue with. Treated plants averaged 16.2cm of root length against 10.5cm in untreated crops, a 54% improvement. Root weight more than doubled, rising from 0.8g to 1.6g. That stronger root system set the tone for how the rest of the crop developed.
Tiller number increased by 46% in Surge-treated plants, with tiller weight improving by 71%. Total plant weight came in at 9.8g against 5.6g in untreated plots, a 75% uplift overall. The trial ran on winter wheat in April 2026 and used direct like-for-like comparisons across the same field. Grower Stephen Povall was so impressed with Surge that he is ensuring 100% of his cereal crop will be treated with Surge for next season.
Those figures come from a wider body of evidence. Surge has delivered an average 5% yield improvement across 35 independent trials over 6 years. The best responses have reached 20%.
Understanding the Return
Based on that trial data, Surge delivers a 5:1 return on investment for every pound spent. Those figures form the foundation of the Surge Seed Calculator, a free tool available at fieldernutrition.com/surge-calculator/. You enter your crop details, and the calculator works out your cost per hectare. It also shows the yield uplift needed to break even and your expected return on these seed treatment products.
The calculator draws on real-world trial data rather than general projections. It shows you exactly what biological seed treatment can deliver on your own farm.
Plan Ahead
It can be hard to get a moment when harvest is in full swing! But using Surge can be an easy decision to make as it suits all arable and horticultural seeds, and it fits alongside your existing programme without complication. If you are planning autumn drilling, run your figures through the Surge Seed Calculator before the season picks up again.
Get in touch with the Fielder team to find out more, or try the calculator.