A mobile agricultural machine includes a row unit having a furrow opener mounted to the row unit and configured to engage a surface of ground over which the mobile agricultural machine travels to open a furrow in the ground. A furrow closer is mounted to the row unit behind the furrow opener relative to a direction of travel of the mobile agricultural machine and is configured to engage the surface of the ground to close the furrow. An image sensor system is mounted to the row unit and configured to sense characteristics of residue and seeds in the furrow opened by the furrow opener and generate a sensor signal indicative of the characteristics. The mobile agricultural machine can further include a control system configured to generate a residue/seed characteristic indicator corresponding to the sensed characteristics and to generate an action signal to control an action of the mobile agricultural machine based on the residue/seed characteristic indicator.

A particle delivery assembly of an agricultural row unit includes a particle tube configured to receive a particle and to deliver the particle toward a trench in soil. The particle tube includes a first body portion, a second body portion, and a hinge coupled to the first body portion and to the second body portion. The hinge is configured to enable the first body portion and the second body portion to pivot relative to one another between an open position of the particle tube and a closed position of the particle tube.

A method including adjusting a changeable component of a seed planting machine when switching from a first variety of seed to a second variety of seed during planting, wherein the adjusting is based on a location of the planting machine.

Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for agricultural planting including selecting and varying agricultural input types during an in-field operation. In one embodiment, a method calculates a partial addition of seed to a seed pool during planting to minimize or eliminate seeds in the seed pool (520) as a boundary is crossed.

Systems, methods and apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit of an agricultural planter. The row unit includes a trench depth adjustment assembly configured to modify the furrow depth. In one embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a gear box having one or more gears which engage with a gear rack. The gear box may be pivotally connected to a depth adjustment body supporting a rocker that adjusts upward travel of gauge wheel arms. In another embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a depth adjustment arm having a screw receiver that cooperates with a driven screw that adjusts the position of the depth adjustment arm acting on the gauge wheels to adjust trench depth.

A seeder for depositing seeds in trays or substrate in a pattern of seed positions. The seeder includes a seed supply; and a conveyor configured to transfer seeds from the seed supply to the trays or substrate and release extracted seeds in the pattern of seed positions into the trays or substrate. A detector includes a light source and a sensor configured to detect seeds at seed holding positions of the conveyor in transfer from the seed supply to the trays or substrate and generate a signal. The light source is obliquely oriented to generate grazing light on or over the conveyor, for seeds to cast detectable shadows on the surface of the conveyor, and the sensor is oriented to detect shadows on the conveyor, cast by seeds at seed holding positions. An associated method and a computer-readable storage medium to carry a program for carrying out the method.

A flow control insert for an agricultural metering system includes a body configured to couple the flow control insert to a housing of the agricultural metering system. The flow control insert also includes a shoulder extending from the body. The shoulder is configured to engage a channel in a meter roller to control flow of particulate material within the channel along a rotational direction of the meter roller.

A planter includes a plurality of row units. The row units include metering systems, which can include multiple seed meters at a particular row unit, as well as a queuing system. The metering systems including more than one seed meters are configured such that the seed meters will plant a different seed types or varieties. The operation of one or more of the seed meters at a time will provide for the planting of a particular seed variety. The invention provides for on-the-go changing of a seed being planted by changing the operation of one or more of the seed meters at each of the row units and provides for almost infinite variation among the row units for planting particular seed varieties or not planting at all.

A seed planting device adapted to planting seeds at regular intervals into the ground.

An automated seed planter may include at least two vacuum cylinders which simultaneously and/or independently pick up and deliver seeds to a single tray. The vacuum cylinders may have a common rotational axis about which the vacuum cylinders rotate. The automated seed planter may include a plurality of vertical seed chutes which receive seeds therein. The vertical seed chutes have open upper and lower ends. A shutter assembly of the seed planter is associated with the lower ends of the vertical seed chutes. The shutter assembly is selectively opens and closes the lower ends of the seed chutes to plant the seeds on the tray. The automated seed planter may include a seed correction assembly including seed wells which receive seeds therein. The seed correction assembly selectively displaces one or more of the seeds from the seed wells to deliver the one or more seeds toward the tray for planting.