Disclosed is a method to improve the germination of seed and the vitality of seedlings of an agricultural, vegetable or flower crop treated with a seed treatment containing at least one insecticidal, acaricidal or nematicidal compound, characterized in that the seed of the plant is in a first step hydrated, in a second step dried and in a third step treated with the said seed treatment, with the proviso that if the plant is of the genus Beta then the insecticidal, acaricidal or nematicidal compound cannot be selected from imidacloprid or tefluthrin.