2023 Precision Planting SmartFirmer Base

2023 Precision Planting SmartFirmer

Digging a few seeds per field doesn’t give you a complete picture of whether your depth setting is correct. SmartFirmer is a seed firmer-sensor that measures the amount of moisture available to the seed, so you can adjust your depth correctly and know you will have a consistent crop stand.

While you are planting, you might dig a few seeds per field. More than likely you are only looking at a fraction of the seeds, and guessing that all of the ones you do not look at are ok. The rest of the seeds are left to cross our fingers and hope they are in the best environment to start their journey.

With SmartFirmer you will have confidence in the environment that every seed is in.

SmartFirmer is a seed-firmer sensor that is measuring the furrow as it is firming each seed into the bottom of the trench. SmartFirmer helps you know that the environment that the seed is being placed in is in good shape, but can also help you determine what type of variability you may have in your field.

Adequate moisture is needed in the soil for a seed to germinate. If the soil does not have enough moisture for a seed to germinate, it will take a rain shower to get enough moisture for that seed to germinate. SmartFirmer measures and displays soil moisture in the cab so you can make adjustments to get seeds into adequate moisture.

Seeds need sufficient temperature to germinate, but how does temperature fluctuate throughout the day as the sun shines on the field and as you plant from one soil type to the next? SmartFirmer shows you real-time temperature as you are planting so you can make the right decision.

A consistent environment is essential for uniform seed germination and plant growth. SmartFirmer identifies any irregularities along the furrow, such as soil clods, air space, and dry soil falling from the surface, so that you can have the insight to correct row unit performance and solve these yield-robbing problems.

In-furrow crop residue has negative impacts on seed germination and growth. SmartFirmer allows you to measure the quantity of in-furrow residue and adjust row cleaners accordingly, thus ensuring residue won’t limit seed moisture uptake or transmit disease.

In any field, there are multiple yield environments that are determined by differences in the field. One of the foundations of these differences is the amount of organic matter in different soils. The more organic matter in the soil, the more water and nutrients it provides. By measuring and mapping organic matter, you can get a clear picture of variability in your fields, measured every planter pass.

Variable-rate applications can be an intimidating step to take on the farm. Between cost, prescriptions, and time, many growers have not yet reaped the profitability improvements from the implementation of site-specific farming. With SmartFirmer, you can begin variable rating with ease, using soil organic matter as the measurement that determines what rate of seed or fertilizer is applied. From the 20|20 in the cab, you simply set up a rate that you want for a given range of organic matter, and as the SmartFirmer senses the different organic matter levels in the field, it will prompt the planter to change rates automatically. Hybrid can also be changed on the go too. Using the organic matter reading to vary seeding or fertilizer rates, as well as hybrids, is a simple way to begin to determine the best way to maximize the variability in your field.