Purchase only high-quality seed that has been thoroughly cleaned to remove shriveled kernels and that has a germination of 90% or better. All seed should be treated with a seed-treatment fungicide to control seed-borne diseases loose smut, common bunt, Fusarium scab, and Stagonospora glume blotch. Treatments containing the fungicides difenconazole or tebuconazole have been very effective in controlling most seed-borne diseases. TBZ can be added to improve efficacy against seed-borne Fusarium found on scab-affected seed.
Basic information on seed treatments can be found in Table 1, but more information is available in Ohio State University Extension Bulletin 639, Seed Treatment for Agronomic Crops, and OSU Extension Bulletin 639A, Efficacy of Seed Treatment Fungicides for Agronomic Crops in Ohio. Both bulletins can be found on Ohio State's web site, Ohioline, at http://ohioline.osu.edu/b639/b639_17.html.