John Deere has released new planter technology enhancements in the US, all designed to meet key agronomic success factors, including uniform emergence, uniform spacing, correct seed population and nutrient availability. Advancements have been made in furrow application, furrow depth and residue management, uptime and logistics.
Correct fertilizer application at the time the seed hits the ground is a part of the equation to give the seed the best possible start. Model year 2027 John Deere planters will have an option for a dual-product fertilizer system that allows operators to carry and apply product in-furrow and/or off to the side to give the corn plant the right nutrients at the right time of the growth stage, leading to higher corn yields.
The dual-product system includes both ExactShot and ExactRate. ExactShot is John Deere’s in-furrow application that delivers nutrients directly to the seed where they are used most efficiently. ExactShot saves up to 66% of in-furrow nutrient input. The second part of the dual system is ExactRate, which applies high-value fertilizer off to the side.
The combined system includes dual liquid tanks, and a dual set of stainless-steel fertilizer lines with pumps relocated under the tanks. Both liquid tanks have fertilizer-level sensing, making it easy for the operator to know how much product is available in each tank. Another update is a new agitation system that keeps certain chemicals suspended and separated in the tank to ensure even product coverage. An auxiliary tank option enables the use of high-value micronutrients, biologicals, fungicides, and insecticides.
From the tractor cab, a display screen shows both fertilizer products on a single run screen. Additional improvements offer the operator to now select a dose length of 4” and improvements to the map coverage page.
Furrow optimization
Studies show that uniform emergence can improve yield up to 20 bushels/acre, emphasizing the need to optimize the furrow as much as possible. Accurate and precise planter depth settings remove the impact of hidden variables, such as wear, which can contribute to inconsistent depth.
New is ExactDepth, an electric depth control that supports an in-cab on-the-go range of depth adjustments and individual row unit depth calibrations. ExactDepth also allows operators to optimize depth with prescriptions for each field and/or subfield zones. This solution is available on several John Deere planter models, including 1725C, 1775NT, 1795 and DB planters – 36 rows or less.
Furrow residue has shown that one day of delayed corn emergence can reduce plant yield by 6%, on average. John Deere’s FurrowVision solution helps operators identify when residue is impacting the furrow, allowing them to manually optimize row cleaner settings. This system features three in-furrow cameras mounted on the planter that provide real-time sectional views of the furrow, as well as depth measurement readings, residue detection filter and additional quality map layers in the John Deere Operations Center.
Another new feature to improve furrow quality is Downforce Automation powered by FurrowVision, optimizing downforce settings and making it easier to create the best furrow in every field. Downforce Automation optimizes the amount of applied downforce by taking into consideration ground contact, soil resistance and furrow health as measured by FurrowVision. The automation determines the amount of downforce needed to optimize the furrow and planter performance based on a number of factors, including initial margin setpoint, soil resistance, furrow health, raw depth, and ground contact.
Planting logistics
Tight planting windows demand keeping the planter rolling as much as possible. Logistics is a new feature available through the John Deere Operations Center for those with the G5 Advanced license. Logistics provides real-time monitoring of equipment location, work status and product levels, keeping everyone on the farm informed and updated. This can give tender drivers the information needed to be in the right place at the right time. It also informs those running the planter of the need to stop at a certain place in the field to fill tanks, eliminating the risk of running out of seed in the middle of the field.
