A planting system for a combine in embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following elements: (a) a soil opening system having one or more soil openers operably connected to one or more mounting arms operably attached to the combine, (b) a seed handling system having one or more seed dispensers with one or more seed tubes operably connected to the one or more seed dispensers and a seed reservoir adapted for housing cover crop seed, and (c) a control system having one or more actuators operably connected to one or more controllers, wherein at least one of the sets of soil openers and sets of seed dispensers is operably attached to a header of the combine.

A dual-disk seed meter for a planter may include a housing defining a first seed chamber configured to receive first seeds of a first seed type and a second seed chamber configured to receive second seeds of a second seed type. The seed meter may also include a first seed disk rotatable within the housing to convey the first seeds from the first seed chamber, a second seed disk rotatable within the housing to convey the second seeds from the second seed chamber, and a drive assembly configured to simultaneously rotate the first and second seed disks. In addition, the seed meter may include a seed deflector movable relative to the first seed disk and/or the second seed disk to control which of the seed types is discharged from the housing based on a selected seed type to be delivered by the seed meter.

Disclosed is a plant protection and management system for a center pivot and linear irrigation system. In the plant protection and management system, the movable platform is configured to provide at least one of an application unit, a seeding-fertilizer spreader unit or a monitoring unit. The application unit is configured to spray agriculture chemicals or fertilizers on crops. The seeding-fertilizer spreader unit is configured to sow seeds of crops. Further, the monitoring unit is configured to monitor crops and collect status data of the crops or status data of environment. According to different requirements on agricultural production, at least one of the application unit, the sowing unit or the monitoring unit can be selectively arranged on the movable platform so as to meet various requirements on plant protections and managements in the process of agricultural production.

An exhaust air filtration apparatus comprises a vacuum planter (10) having a cyclonic separator (30) and a filter unit (40). A method of removing particulate matter can utilize the apparatus.

A seed delivery system for use in a seeding or planting machine that removes the seed from a seed meter by capturing the seed therefrom. The delivery system then moves the seed down to a lower discharge point and accelerates the seed horizontally rearward to a speed approximately equal to the forward travel speed of the seeding machine such that the seed, when discharged has a low or zero horizontal velocity relative to the ground. Rolling of the seed in the trench is thus reduced. Furthermore, as the seed only has a short drop from the outlet to the bottom of the seed trench, the seed has little vertical speed to induce bounce. The delivery system uses a brush belt to capture, move and accelerate the seed. By capturing the seed and moving it from the meter to the discharge, the seed is held in place relative to other seeds and the planter row unit. As a result, the seeds are isolated from row unit dynamics thereby maintaining seed spacing.

A removable aerial application system and a method of installing the removable aerial application system in an aircraft such as a helicopter. In one embodiment, a removable aerial application system for an aircraft comprises: a tank insertable into a cabin of the aircraft; a first delivery conduit and a second delivery conduit, the first and second delivery conduits being in communication with the tank and extending aftward beneath a fuselage of the aircraft, a first auger within the first delivery conduit and a second auger within the second delivery conduit; a collector assembly defining a chamber, each of the first and second delivery conduits being in communication with the chamber; a distribution system coupled to the collector assembly; and a hydraulic system in mechanical communication with each of the first and second augers.

A dual-disk seed meter for a planter may include a housing defining a first seed chamber configured to receive first seeds of a first seed type and a second seed chamber configured to receive second seeds of a second seed type. The seed meter may also include a first seed disk rotatable within the housing to convey the first seeds from the first seed chamber, a second seed disk rotatable within the housing to convey the second seeds from the second seed chamber, and a drive assembly configured to simultaneously rotate the first and second seed disks. In addition, the seed meter may include a seed deflector movable relative to the first seed disk and/or the second seed disk to control which of the seed types is discharged from the housing based on a selected seed type to be delivered by the seed meter.

Disclosed is a sowing coulter arrangement comprising a suspension device for mounting the sowing coulter arrangement on a machine frame; a coulter frame connected to the suspension device for mounting components of the sowing coulter arrangement thereon; and a coulter disk. The arrangement further comprises a furrow closer pivotally mounted on the coulter frame; a metering device for dispensing the material to be distributed; a seed tube for transporting the material to be distributed from the metering device to a seed furrow; and a catching element for catching the material disposed downstream of the outlet of the seed tube. The metering device, the seed tube, and the catching element form a unit and are mounted on a carrier that is pivotably affixed to the coulter frame, whereby an arrangement of an outlet of a seed tube in relation to a catching element is at all times kept largely constant.

A seed delivery system for use in a seeding or planting machine that removes the seed from a seed meter by capturing the seed therefrom. The delivery system then moves the seed down to a lower discharge point and accelerates the seed horizontally rearward to a speed approximately equal to the forward travel speed of the seeding machine such that the seed, when discharged has a low or zero horizontal velocity relative to the ground. Rolling of the seed in the trench is thus reduced. Furthermore, as the seed only has a short drop from the outlet to the bottom of the seed trench, the seed has little vertical speed to induce bounce. The delivery system uses a brush belt to capture, move and accelerate the seed. By capturing the seed and moving it from the meter to the discharge, the seed is held in place relative to other seeds and the planter row unit. As a result, the seeds are isolated from row unit dynamics thereby maintaining seed spacing.

In a method for metering granular material, and in a corresponding metering apparatus, the granular material is carried and conveyed by an airflow and/or by its own kinetic energy and directed through a feed tube into a metering unit, where it is guided along an approximately circular arc path and tangentially directed into an outlet tube, which is adjacent to the metering unit and which runs, at least in a section, slightly curved. The granular material is approximately evenly spaced or evenly metered and conveyed in an outer area of the curved outlet tube and is at least partially carried by the airflow being discharged and exiting the metering unit through the outlet tube.