The Trials We’re Conducting
Redline wants to show transparent information to our customers through demonstration of Case IH equipment and technology. We will not be highlighting seed, fertilizer, or chemical over the course of this test plot. We will stick to what we know and that is iron and technology.
Trial #1: Turn Compensation
The whole idea of metered planting is to be sure each individual seed receives the space necessary to reach full potential. On the flip side of this, every farmer wants to maximize his or her potential on every acre. Very rarely fields are perfect squares; therefore, a 40-foot, hex-shaft planter, when executing a turn, will leave too much space between each plant on the outside rows while not allowing enough space for the plants on the inside rows. This causes the inside plants to compete for resources while the outside rows are at too low of a population to maximize yield.
By utilizing Precision Planting’s vDrive system available on the Case IH 2150 Early Riser planter, we can show the contrast between having the ability to compensate for the difference in speed by row and having the traditional hex-shaft drive that turns all units at the same RPM across the entire planter. On the vDrive system, each row unit is individually controlled allowing seeding rate to be adjusted per row. The system adjusts each individual row’s metering speed based upon the speed each row is traveling. This ensures perfect spacing row-by-row no matter how sharp or gradual the turn.
Trial #2: Light Down Force
In order to give each seed the best potential for high yields, consistent seed placement is crucial. Research consistently shows that simultaneous emergence is the start to a successful year. Although many factors including weather, soil type, and planting date can affect emergence, one very important aspect of emergence that the farmer can control is applied down force. It is crucial that enough down pressure is applied to achieve uniform seed depth with good seed to soil contact. Without enough down force, the disk openers are unable to create a seed trench that will be consistent throughout the entire field as soil conditions may change. This leads to inconsistent emergence which will result in plants not producing to their full potential.
With the in-cab adjustment of Precision Planting’s DeltaForce available on the Case IH 2150 Early Riser planter, we can set our hydraulic down force setting to a pressure inadequate for our specific field. Right from the seat of the tractor, we can set the target pressure of the entire planter and DeltaForce will operate row by row to achieve the target. No spring or air pressure adjustments were necessary because the entire DeltaForce system can be changed with the touch of a button. As the planter goes through the field, the DeltaForce system responds up 200 times per second to apply the proper down pressure or uplift.
Trial #3: Heavy Down Force
In order to give each seed the best potential for high yields, consistent seed placement is crucial. Research consistently shows that simultaneous emergence is the start to a successful year. Although many factors including weather, soil type, and planting date can affect emergence, one very important aspect of emergence that the farmer can control is applied down force. It is crucial that enough down pressure is applied to achieve uniform seed depth with good seed-to-soil contact. If too much down force is applied, the soil surrounding the seed will become compacted. Excessive down pressure will restrict root development which will limit nutrient uptake throughout the growing season.
With the in-cab adjustment of Precision Planting’s DeltaForce available on the Case IH 2150 Early Riser planter, we set our hydraulic down force setting to a pressure much higher than recommended for our specific field. Right from the seat of the tractor, we can set the target pressure of the entire planter and DeltaForce will operate row by row to achieve the target. No spring or air pressure adjustments were necessary because the entire DeltaForce system can be changed with the touch of a button. As the planter goes through the field, the DeltaForce system responds up 200 times per second to apply the proper down pressure or uplift.
Trial #4: Shallow Seed Depth
Shallow seed depth can cause a great reduction in yield. This yield loss comes from the seed not being placed in adequate moisture to foster consistent germination and emergence. Shallow seed depth also prevents the seed from establishing a desired root structure which will give it strength as well as a path to deliver water and nutrients to the plant.
With a quick adjustment on each row of the Early Riser 2150, we were able to adjust our gauge wheels and achieve a seed depth of .75 inch.
Trial #5: Deep Seed Depth
By placing the seed too deep, the plant must expend a lot of extra energy stored in the seed to reach the surface and emerge. If a seed is placed to deep, it will increase a lot of risk that can have a negative effect during early plant development. This is closely related to early season soil temperatures and saturation levels. The goal is to have a rapid and even emergence across your field and placing your seed to deep can greatly affect this goal.
With a quick adjustment on each row of the Early Riser 2150, we were able to adjust our gauge wheels and achieve a seed depth of 2.5 inches.
Trial #6: 90% Singulation
Proper spacing sets up each plant for success by not causing competition as well as utilizing every square inch of land efficiently. Singulation is the measure of how well the meter is spacing each seed to allow for maximum productivity. In this test, we wanted to show how crucial proper singulation is to a successful crop.
Since the Precision Planting vSet/vDrive combination, when adjusted properly, already plants with nearly 100% singulation, we taped 10% of the holes on the seed plates to negatively affect planter performance and mimic 90% singulation. The seed plates are easily accessible on the Case IH 2150 planter equipped with vSet meters to allow for proper inspection of the internals of the seed meter, or in this case, to apply tape to the required holes. We used the following equation to determine how many skips we needed to achieve 90% singulation.
16 row planter x 27 hole seed disc = 432 cells
432 x .10 =43.2
6 Rows = 7 cells per row blocked off
Trial #7: 80% Singulation
Proper spacing sets up each plant for success by not causing competition as well as utilizing every square inch of land available. Singulation is the measure of how well the meter is spacing each seed to allow for maximum productivity. In this test, we wanted to show how crucial proper singulation is to a successful crop.
Since the Precision Planting vSet/vDrive combination, when adjusted properly, already plants with nearly 100% singulation, we taped 10% of the holes on the seed plates to negatively affect planter performance and mimic 80% singulation. The seed plates are easily accessible on the Case IH 2150 planter equipped with vSet meters to allow for proper inspection of the internals of the seed meter, or in this case, to apply tape to the required holes. We used the following equation to determine how many skips we needed to achieve 80% singulation.
16 row planter x 27 hole seed disc = 432 cells
432 x .20 =86.4
12 Rows = 7 cells per row blocked off
Control Passes
Whenever a test is performed, you always want a baseline to compare to. Because weather and the growing seasons can drastically change, you don’t want to compare our test to “normal” conditions in a different field or growing season. In this case, if we have an extreme weather event, the entire plot will be exposed to it equally.
We set the Case IH 2150 Early Riser planter to perform at its highest level in these passes. Vacuum, down pressure, speed, and depth were all properly adjusted for these passes.