How SureForce® meets your downforce needs
A fundamental of planting, good downforce management is a critical aspect of operating a planter well. Yet, planters are one of the more complex pieces of machinery in agriculture. Ag Leader’s SureForce® automatically adjusts weight on the planter to maintain consistent depth no matter the field conditions.
The case for 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.
Uplift may be needed in very sandy soils, soils with clay content being planted in marginal conditions, conventional tillage, and shallower planting for crops such as soybeans, cotton, or grain sorghum.
Everyone knows a major limiting factor of root development is compaction. 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 much-needed relief to those seed trenches and better seed-to-soil contact for the seeds being placed.
Who needs more force?
An additional 50 pounds of downforce is helpful when a farmer is planting into a no-till environment. Crop residue sitting on top of the soil can make it tough for farmers to plant through, even with the help of a hydraulic downforce system. The ability to apply up to 650 pounds of force with SureForce allows the seed to be placed at a comfortable depth for germinating and establishing good roots.
Cover crops restore nutrients to the soil, help break up compaction, and provide protection against erosion when fields would otherwise sit fallow. However, cover crops can be difficult to plant into. With SureForce’s increased force capacity, it’s much easier to plant through tough environments and get seeds placed right.
SureForce is just one piece of Ag Leader’s SeedCommand planting products. Learn how SureDrive® electric drives can help with turn compensation and singulation across your farm and how the InCommand display can give you a window into your planter. •