Scientists at the SIBUR PolyLab Applied Research Center have developed and tested a new agricultural solution designed to stop crop pods from splitting too early—helping farmers reduce losses and improve harvesting efficiency.

 

The innovation is a styrene-acrylic dispersion-based adhesive that forms a protective film over crop pods, preventing premature cracking caused by wind, temperature swings, and rain. The company says the technology could significantly improve yield stability and streamline harvesting operations.

 

SIBUR, which is expanding its footprint in agricultural materials, said the development fits into its broader push to support the agro-industrial sector with polymer-based solutions aimed at improving productivity and sustainability.

 

The adhesive is applied using a sprayer and dries quickly, forming a uniform polymer coating over pods of cruciferous crops like rapeseed and mustard, as well as legumes including peas, soybeans, lentils, and chickpeas. The film is moisture-resistant, plant-safe, and does not affect seed quality or harm soil, the environment, or human health, according to the company.

 

Beyond crop protection, the solution also improves harvesting efficiency by enabling direct combining without extra field preparation and reducing the risk of machinery clogging.

 

Kermen Bovaldinova, Director of Product Development at the SIBUR PolyLab Applied Research Center, said: "We tested the use of a styrene-acrylic dispersion on winter and spring rapeseed, as well as on peas and soybeans. The results showed an increase in biological yield due to seed survival of up to 28% for rapeseed and up to 15% for peas. Compared to untreated plots, the percentage of cracked pods decreased from 12.50 to 3.74% for rapeseed and from 8.20 to 2.02% for peas."

 

The use of synthetic materials allows agricultural producers to more effectively manage weather-related risks and increase the predictability of harvesting results. When developing the adhesive, special attention was paid to the practical needs of farmers and the product's adaptation to real-world conditions. 

 

The obtained test results confirm the technology's potential for reducing crop losses during the harvesting of rapeseed and leguminous crops and provide the basis for further scaling the solution across various climate zones and farming systems. If its effectiveness is confirmed in extensive field trials, the pod adhesive could become a technological tool for significantly reducing crop losses and will be offered to a wide range of agricultural producers in Russia.

 

SIBUR says its polymer technologies are already in use across crop production, livestock farming, land reclamation, and fisheries, and are being developed for both domestic and export markets.