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 vacuum system that includes a planter frame. A row unit bracket couples to the planter frame. A fan couples to the planter frame and draws air through a row unit. An exhaust duct extends through the row unit bracket. The exhaust duct couples to the fan and discharges airflow from the fan towards the ground.

An agricultural planting implement is used to plant seed in a field. The implement includes an electrically-driven seed meter that is spaced on a toolbar of the implement. The seed meter, or other metering member, is a precision meter that is used to control the volume, spacing, and location of a seed that is delivered from a meter to the field. A seed source, such as a seed cart or hopper, is attached to the seed meters to provide an on-demand amount of seed to the meters for planting in the field.

A brush belt including a base member having first side with a traction surface and a second side that is opposite the first side, the first side having a mounting surface having a longitudinal axis, a first edge, second edge, and a plurality of projections extending from the mounting surface between the first edge and the second edge, the first edge and second edge of the mounting surface being parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of bristle clusters coupled to the base member, each bristle cluster of the plurality of bristle clusters having a plurality of bristles and being positioned between two projections.

Metering devices for an agricultural implement are present for applying a field input, for example, pneumatically delivered granular product including seed or fertilizer or sprayed liquid product including fertilizer and the like, to an agricultural field. In the applying of the field input, the rate of application of the dispensers of one section of the implement can be collectively varied in relation to the rate of application of the dispensers of a different section of the implement frame.

A row unit downforce system including: a downforce actuator in operational communication with the row unit and constructed and arranged to apply supplemental downforce to the row unit and opening disks; a monitoring system comprising at least one furrow depth sensor constructed and arranged to generate furrow depth values; and a control system module, wherein the control system module is constructed and arranged to generate actuator command signals in response to the furrow depth values.

A trench closing sensor adapted to mount to an agricultural implement to detect whether a seed trench is sufficiently closed with soil to ensure good seed to soil contact. The trench closing sensor may also detect the amount of compaction of the soil over the seed within the seed trench. The trench closing sensor may be in the form of a seed firmer from which a drag wire extends. As the open seed trench and drag wire are covered with soil, instrumentation measures or detects whether the seed trench is being adequately closed with soil by measuring the amount of force required to pull the wire through the soil or by measuring the amount of strain, pulling force or tension in the wire or by measuring the amount of soil pressure acting on the wire. The trench closing sensor may include other sensors for detecting soil characteristics.

An agricultural air seeder planting unit incorporates control valves that split air flow and change air direction from an air supply to air distribution hoses. The air flow of the control valves is automatically adjusted pneumatically by movement of a piston in response to a total pressure for a uniform velocity air flow from each of the control valves.

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.

A particle delivery system of an agricultural row unit includes a particle belt having a particle acceleration section. The particle belt is configured to receive a particle, to accelerate the particle at the particle acceleration section, and to expel the particle toward a trench in soil. The particle delivery system includes a first hub assembly engaged with the particle belt at a first location and a second hub assembly engaged with the particle belt at a second location. The particle acceleration section is disposed generally at the first location, a substantially no-slip condition exists between the first hub assembly and the particle belt at the first location and between the second hub assembly and the particle belt at the second location, and the first hub assembly and the second hub assembly are configured to stretch the particle belt at the particle acceleration section to accelerate the particle.