PHOTO: AG LEADER
PHOTO: AG LEADER
PARTNER FEATURE ▶▶▶ The effect of proper down force
There are many things to keep in mind during spring planting, often making it difficult to prioritise. The trick is to stick to the basics. Utilise proper soil conditions, crop residue control and correct planting depth. These are all parts of the foundation to achieve a successful year.
BY AG LEADER O
ne of the keys to a successful plant- ing season is maintaining proper pressure on each row unit. Hydrau- lic downforce systems have been
on the market for quite some time, and the benefit is widely realised across the agriculture industry. That’s why Ag Leader recently an- nounced a new hydraulic uplift and down
force system, SureForce. Planting a field at the correct depth allows the seed to germinate, establishes a good root base and achieves an even stand across the field. The SureForce system controls and adjusts pressure instantaneously based on field typog- raphy and soil conditions, giving you proper planting depth every time, regardless of field
conditions. Weight on the gauge wheels is sensed at every row where a sensor has been installed. The gauge wheel sensors are the ‘eyes’ of the down force system. Next, the sys- tem determines if the force to each row needs to be adjusted. Adjustments are made hydrau- lically, which allows for almost instantaneous adjustments to down force and uplift. When the weight of the row unit is more than enough to achieve target depth, hydraulic uplift will limit over compaction of the seed trench and act to dampen the row unit ride in low applied down force portions of the field. Row units will not bounce, providing optimum meter performance and consistent depth.
Different soil conditions Uplift may be needed in very sandy soils, soils with clay content that are being planted dur- ing marginal conditions, convention tillage, and shallower planting for crops such as soy- beans, cotton, or grain sorghum. Farmers planting into wet soils with high clay content often run into sidewall compaction if there is too much force applied. In this situation, uplift brings relief to those seed trenches, better seed-to-soil contact, and encourages healthy root development.
The Ag Leader solution offers
proper planting depth every time.
14 ▶ FUTURE FARMING | 1 November 2018
An additional 50 pounds (22.5 kg) of down force is helpful when planting into a no-till or cover crop environment. The ability to apply up to 650 pounds (295 kg) with SureForce allows the seed to be placed at a comfortable depth for germinating and setting down good roots. A fundamental step in a successful planting season is to maintain good down pressure management, which is a critical as- pect of operating a planter well. In many cases, growers are looking to either minimise the
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