Improved seedling vigor and better seedling protection against early-season pests — global tropical vegetable seed company East-West Seed (EWS) developed NutriShield+ to help vegetable farmers across the Philippines improve their livelihoods.

NutriShield+ is an advanced seed coating technology that provides nutrition to help boost seedling growth and protect the seed against harmful fungi (for all coated seeds) or insects (for coated corn) up to the first 2-3 weeks of growth.

The new technology was developed to continuously improve seed quality and ensure successful seedling establishment in agricultural fields.

"Vegetable farmers across the whole country help ensure food security and nutrition for everyone," says Jay Lopez, General Manager of East-West Seed Philippines.

He said with NutriShield+, East-West Seed is helping those farmers reach even more people. Faster emergence, bigger seedlings, and more uniformity — this technology not only helps farmers thrive but also consumers live healthier lives with more nutritious vegetables.

During a recent media day last 10 May, in San Rafael, Bulacan, visitors learned about the technology from East-West Seed and farmers.

One of them, Johnny Gatuz, whose farm is located in Bulacan, emphasizes the growth-boosting qualities of the NutriShield+ technology that he experienced with East-West Seed’s eggplant varieties Fortuner and Calixto:

"The seedlings exhibit remarkable qualities. Right from the outset, their uniformity and vibrant color are striking. Even after the transplanting process, discernible vigor improvements including wider leaves, increased branching, and robustness in growth become apparent."

There are 18 varieties across eight crops with NutriShield+, including waxy corn, sweet corn, cucumber, bitter gourd, eggplant, pumpkin, tomato, and watermelon.

East-West Seed is continuously improving its varieties through innovation to improve the livelihood of vegetable farmers.