A reversible seed trench appurtenance for a row unit of an agricultural planter. The seed trench appurtenance includes an upper portion and a trailing portion. The upper portion is received within a mounting bracket attached to the row unit of the planter. The seed trench appurtenance is movable between a normal operating position in which the trailing portion extends into the seed trench. When the row unit is reversed in a direction opposite the forward direction of travel, the seed trench appurtenance moves from the normal operating position to a reversing position in which the trailing portion is vertically above the normal operating position thereby avoiding damage to the seed trench appurtenance and the mounting bracket.

A sectional control apparatus and method prompts the operator of an implement when the implement, or portion thereof, is traversing over land that has already been seeded and/or disturbed. The apparatus includes a GPS or GNSS receiver that communicates with a GPS or GNSS system and a controller that maps movement of the implement so that real-time positional data for the implement can be compared to the movement map. When the position of the implement, or portion thereof, is detected as moving over previously seeded and/or disturbed land, the controller activates an alert mechanism in the operator cab of the implement to notify the operator that sectional control, i.e., shutting down metering of product or raising the tool bar, needs to be implemented.

An agricultural product distribution system that includes an inductor box configured to receive agricultural product and conveyed air to combine the agricultural product and the conveyed air. The agricultural product distribution system also includes a removable baffle configured to control an amount of the conveyed air that flows into each port of the plurality of ports. Furthermore, the inductor box is configured to enable the removable baffle to be slidingly inserted into the inductor box, and the removable baffle comprises a tang configured to at least partially block insertion of the removable baffle into the inductor box while the removable baffle is oriented at an undesirable orientation.

Various planting machines and planting methods are described. A planting method may include filling a seed pool with first-type seed, metering the first-type seed from the seed pool with a metering member, and then evacuating the first-type seed from the seed pool. The method may further include filling the seed pool with second-type seed, metering the second-type seed with the metering member, evacuating the second-type seed from the seed pool, and then refilling the seed pool with the first-type seed. First-type and second-type seed may be evacuated to separate temporary storage chambers, and the seed pool may be filled from the temporary storage chambers, as well as from bulk storage containers. A seed valve of a planting machine may include temporary seed storage chambers for different seed types. The seed valve may fill and evacuate a seed pool through rotation of various valve members and selective application of a vacuum.

Various planting machines and planting methods are described. A planting method may include filling a seed pool with first-type seed, metering the first-type seed from the seed pool with a metering member, and then evacuating the first-type seed from the seed pool. The method may further include filling the seed pool with second-type seed, metering the second-type seed with the metering member, evacuating the second-type seed from the seed pool, and then refilling the seed pool with the first-type seed. First-type and second-type seed may be evacuated to separate temporary storage chambers, and the seed pool may be filled from the temporary storage chambers, as well as from bulk storage containers. A seed valve of a planting machine may include temporary seed storage chambers for different seed types. The seed valve may fill and evacuate a seed pool through rotation of various valve members and selective application of a vacuum.

An activated-release, water-insoluble or slowly-soluble coating is utilized on fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, medicine, and other granules to precisely time the release of the active ingredient of the granules, for purposes such as fertilizer and pesticide release as well as to initiate seed germination. An external stimulus, or activating agent, including, but not limited to, microwaves, ultrasonic waves, X-rays, radio waves, electromagnetic waves, radar waves, sonar waves, magnetic induction, (or pulses of any of the foregoing), specific chemical, bacteria, or fungus organism (such as ionic or non ionic surfactants, organic solvents, specifically cultured bacteria, fungi or catalytic agents) is used to break the coating, thus allowing for the release or germination. An activating device may be mounted on or in a tool bar, cart, or other apparatus pulled by a tractor, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), airplane, helicopter, or other implement and passed over a field, sprayed onto or injected into the soil, when the granule content is actually needed or germination is sought. The present disclosure also relates to liquid fertilizers of complex chemistry that are not readily available to plants; activation will degrade the nutrient compounds to readily-available forms.

The invention relates to a single seed dispenser (10) for a precision automatic sower comprising a cover (11) for seeds to be distributed joined to a body (12) containing a cavity (24) in communication with an aspirator of the seeds via a conduit (22) inserted in a hole (23) realised on the body (12), a distribution disc (13) with holes (38, 54) contained in a compartment delimited by said body (12) and by said cover (11); a driving disc (31) joined through pins (53) to the distribution disc (13), both discs being put into rotation by means of a shaft (29) actuated by an actuator for commanding rotation of the discs (13, 31); and a selector device (14) for the seeds pivoted on the edge of the body (12), where the selector device (14) comprises a plate (142) which presents, on a side facing the centre of the distribution disc (13), at least two toothed portions (143, 144), having teeth of different sizes and a curved sector (59) mounted against the surface of the distribution disc (13) opposite to the plate (142) and is provided with protrusions (591) having inclined surface (592) facing the distribution disc (13) at holes (38) therein.

A commodity tank for a product distribution machine has a hollow body enclosing an interior space with an upper fill opening through which product can flow into the interior space. For convenience of the operator, a lower fill opening is also provided though which product can flow into the interior space. The lower fill opening is located at a lower height relative to the upper fill opening. The provision of the lower fill opening enables the operator to choose between either bulk filling the tank using the cart conveyor through the upper opening or manually filling the tank through the lower opening.

An agricultural implement system is provided including a fluid conduit configured to provide product to a ground engaging tool. The ground engaging tool is configured to deposit the product into soil. The agricultural implement system also includes an air source fluidly coupled to the fluid conduit, and configured to provide an air flow through the fluid conduit in a downstream direction toward the ground engaging tool. The agricultural implement system further includes a product delivery system fluidly coupled to the fluid conduit, and configured to transfer the product into the air flow. In addition, the agricultural implement system includes a product flow measurement system configured to determine a mass flow rate of the product based on a pressure drop between an upstream portion of the fluid conduit and a downstream portion of the fluid conduit, a flow rate of the air flow, and a velocity of the air flow.

An air cart for distributing air entrained particulate material from a chamber or tank to a plurality of distribution lines for application to an agricultural field has a tank refilling feature utilizing air flow from the cart distribution system or from a dedicated pneumatic source. The cart conveying system air flow is diverted and passed through an assembly containing multiple venturis which also receives particulate material from a supply source. The air entrained material from the source is conveyed to and gently deposited in the cart tank. Exhaust air from the tank may be directed back into the cart conveying system or vented through an air diffuser located beneath the cart. Exhaust air which is directed back to the cart conveying system may return to a location closely adjacent that from which it was originally diverted.