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Ground speed and planter downforce influence on corn seed spacing and depth

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Abstract

Uniform plant stand, herein understood as an outcome of plant spacing and seeding-depth uniformity, requires proper selection of downforce control across varying field conditions, especially when planting at faster ground speeds. Thus, objectives of this study were (1) to assess the effect of ground speed and downforce settings on plant spacing and seeding depth, and (2) evaluate the relationship of planting speed and row-unit vibration. A 12-row planter was used to plant corn on no-till and strip-tilled fields. Treatment factors were downforce setting with two levels: 620 and 980 N, and ground speed with four levels: 7.2, 9.7, 12.1, and 16.1 km h−1. The planter was programmed to plant corn at 51 mm seeding depth at a seeding rate of 84,000 seeds ha−1, equivalent to a theoretical plant spacing of 178 mm. No significant downforce effect was observed at either field on plant spacing, although the low downforce setting resulted in lower plant spacing variability. Higher variability in spacing was observed with increasing ground speed. Target seeding depth on the no-till field was achieved with high downforce and slower ground speed, while deeper than the target seeding depth on the strip-tilled field was observed with a high downforce setting. Finally, both downforce settings revealed increasing row-unit acceleration as ground speed increased.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to extend their great appreciation to Horsch GmbH Germany for support of the planter, and Kansas State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department for providing the data acquisition hardware and software, and guidance system.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

    S. A. Badua, A. Sharda & R. Strasser

  2. Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Central Luzon State University, Munoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines

    S. A. Badua

  3. Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

    I. Ciampitti

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  1. S. A. Badua
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  2. A. Sharda
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  4. I. Ciampitti
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Correspondence to S. A. Badua.

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Badua, S.A., Sharda, A., Strasser, R. et al. Ground speed and planter downforce influence on corn seed spacing and depth. Precision Agric 22, 1154–1170 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-020-09775-7

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