A system and method cuts and increases surface area of surface stubble material while contemporaneously mulching, tiling and aerating the soil. A discoidal coulter blade is configured with sharpened areas at the circumference and one or more inside bevel for cutting the surface stubble as well as reducing the downward pressure required for the blade to enter the type and depth of soil desired. The bevel aids in coulter blade lifespan, ensuring a self-sharpened blade, and allows mating with a second coulter blade.

An example land cultivating system includes a mobile unit, a traveler arrangement operably coupled to the mobile unit to ride on the surface of stubble residues as the mobile unit moves across land to be cultivated, and a fluid jet cutting head supported by the traveler arrangement. The cutting head is configured to selectively discharge a high-pressure fluid jet to make a cut through the stubble residues and underlying soil as the mobile unit moves across the land. A soil opening device is provided to form a furrow in the ground in line with the cut made by the high-pressure fluid jet, and a liquid injector nozzle is provided to discharge fertilizer or other chemical(s) into the soil.

An agricultural machine includes a soil strength generation system that generates an output indicator of soil strength. A control system generates on action signal based on the soil strength.

An agricultural row unit adapted to be moved over soil by an agricultural planter to clear crop residue includes a residue clearing disk or brush. The row unit may include a motor to drive rotation of a crop residue disk or brush. The agriculture row unit may also include a controller configured to adjust the operating speed of the motor in response to factors internal and/or external to the agricultural row unit. The factors may include at least one of a speed of the agricultural planter along the row, a height of crop residue disk or brush the relative to a surface of the soil, a height of the crop residue disk or brush relative to a surface of the soil, amount of crop residue in the row, and a downforce pressure on the row unit.

An apparatus and system for adjustably controlling the position and depth of row cleaner wheels in no-till planting applications, the apparatus comprising a frame, a piston movably secured at the top to the frame, first and second sets of parallel arms disposed on either side of the piston and movably secured at one end to the frame and at the other end to a hub stem, and a set of piston arms each movably secured at the top to one of the first or second set of parallel arms and at the other end to the bottom of the piston.

An agricultural device associated with reduced tillage techniques in a field includes a frame and a separator supported by the frame. The separator is configured to form a strip of exposed soil in residual plant matter in the field. A crimping device associated with the separator is configured to at least partially crush stems of residual plant matter while maintaining the strip.

A variable pressure control system for varying pressures in the fluid circuits of a dual acting actuator over a range of pressures. The variable pressure control system includes a controller that cooperates with pressure regulators for regulating the desired pressure in the fluid circuits.

A residue management system for a row unit assembly includes a coulter disc and an opener blade wherein. when the row unit assembly is travelling in a forward direction with the opener blade and coulter disc engaging ground. a resiliently biased swing arm resiliently maintains the coulter disc in a default position adjacent a curved leading edge of the opener blade. In some embodiments. at least one mower is mounted ahead of the row unit assembly to provide mulched crop residue for processing by the coulter disc. The system may also include a product redirection system and a modular opener assembly for selectively configuring the placement of agricultural product in a furrow.

A groove depth-leveling wheel used in planting groups defines the depth of the furrow opened by the planting disc for uniform planting. The wheel has blades on its outer side to prevent reeds, stubble, straws etc. from sticking between this wheel and the planting disc and blocking the wheel or the planting disc itself.

Land cultivating systems and methods utilizing high-pressure fluid jet cutting techniques are disclosed. An example system includes a mobile unit, a traveler arrangement operably coupled to the mobile unit to ride on the surface of stubble residues as the mobile unit moves across land to be cultivated, and a fluid jet cutting head supported by the traveler arrangement. The cutting head is configured to selectively discharge a high-pressure fluid jet to make a cut through the stubble residues and underlying soil as the mobile unit moves across the land. A soil opening device is provided to form a furrow in the ground in line with the cut made by the high-pressure fluid jet, and a liquid injector nozzle is provided to discharge fertilizer or other chemical(s) into the soil.