Description
How Can FurrowForce Help you Create the Perfect Environment for Seeds to Thrive?
What is the ideal seed environment? What is the ideal environment that seeds should be left in when planter is finished with its work? The environment should be one where there is no evidence that the planter ever created a furrow, placed seed, and closed the furrow. This environment should have no air pockets, should be mellow so that as the seed germinates it can emerge, while at the same time being firm enough that moisture does not quickly leave the soil. It’s a delicate balance that needs to be achieved, and there is significant yield opportunity in getting it right. Getting it right means that the variability in the field has been accounted for and adjusted for, and that germination of each seed has happened at the same time. When seeds germinate and emerge at inconsistent times, yield loss occurs.
- Manage Soil Density – Many growers think about proper closing as having the seed covered. But putting soil over the seed is only part of the equation. Managing soil density to maintain moisture is a key component of creating the best environment for the seed. In conventional tillage and easy to close environments, growers look behind the planter and when they don’t see an open trench, they are satisfied. But in this environment, tillage was done ahead of the planter which introduces air into the soil and dries it. If the soil density over the seed is loose, the soil continues to dry out and moisture that is needed for quick germination is quickly lost. FurrowForce solves this problem by maintaining a set amount of weight on the stitch wheels to firm the soil over the seed, remove air out of the soil, and retain moisture for a longer period of time to give each seed the chance to germinate consistently. Watch this video to see the difference in moisture retention in loose soil versus firmed soil.
- Confidence in the Cab – FurrowForce is controlled by the Precision Planting 20|20 monitor. The 20|20 gives the operator in the cab a complete picture of planting performance, now including closing. The weight that is being carried on the second stage stitch wheels is adjusted from the 20|20. There are also closing performance metrics shown on the 20|20, such as closing margin, good closing percent, and closing uniformity. If you are running in very dry conditions, you can increase the weight carried on the stitch wheels with just a few button presses in the cab. Never before have you had the confidence to know how your closing system is performing throughout the entire field
- Pair FurrowForce with DeltaForce for the Best Soil Environment – In order to have the ideal system for creating the perfect seed environment, pair FurrowForce with DeltaForce. FurrowForce is sensing the weight carried on the stitch wheels and adjusting the applied force on the closing system to keep the stitch wheel weight consistent. DeltaForce works in a similar way to control row unit downforce. DeltaForce uses a load cell to measure the weight carried on the depth gauge wheels and adjusts the applied force on the row unit to ensure that the weight on the gauge wheels is consistent, automatically adjusting row by row in less than a second. The pairing of DeltaForce with FurrowForce provides the seed the ideal environment to germinate and emerge, as well as allowing roots to grow without obstruction to set maximum yield.
