An agricultural implement has implement settings for soil engaging tools that are controlled based on measured temporal and long-term soil properties in a field. A controller receives data from various soil and optical sensors and provides decision support for adjusting the implement settings. The soil sensors include a square or modified square electrical array that includes two independent, isolated disk coulters running side-by-side followed by two independent, isolated soil engaging runners. One runner has an optical sensor for organic matter, and the other runner has a temperature and moisture sensor. Above-ground optical sensors can be used to measure soil and plant material ahead of and behind the soil engaging tool. The controller can provide real time alerts to an operator that adjustments to the implement settings are needed, or the adjustments can be made automatically based on operator set thresholds, factory settings, or historical individual or global grower adjustments.

A soil apparatus (e.g., seed firmer) having a locking system is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a lower base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, an upper base portion, and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into the lower base portion of a base and then lock when a region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this region of the upper base portion presses the protrusions to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion.

A lower planting arm of a row unit. The lower planting arm includes a first linkage arm. The lower planting arm also includes a second linkage arm parallel with the first linkage arm. The lower planting arm also includes a first bracket fixedly engaging with the first linkage arm and the second linkage arm at a first position. The lower planting arm also includes a second bracket fixedly engaging with the first linkage arm and the second linkage at a second position opposite to the first position. Each of the first bracket and the second bracket of the lower planting arm is adapted to operably engage with an actuating device of the row unit.

A seed meter includes a meter housing having a first chamber for seeds and a second chamber. A seed disk is rotatably supported within the meter housing and has a first side and a second side. The first side is exposed to the first chamber and the second side is exposed to the second chamber. The seed disk includes a plurality of seed openings that extend between the first and second sides at a predetermined radial position. A singulator is positioned against the first side of the seed disk and has at least one structure for removing excess seeds from the seed openings as the seed meter disk rotates relative to the singulator. A radial position of the singulator is controlled at least in part by a hub portion of the seed meter. A biasing spring is positioned to exert an axially-oriented bias force pressing the singulator against the first side of the seed meter disk.

A seed metering system for metering a plurality of seeds includes a meter housing having a front side and a rear side opposite and attached to the front side, a seed inlet defined within the front side of the meter housing, and a seed disk positioned within and rotatable relative to the meter housing. The seed disk has a first side in facing relation to the front side of the meter housing and a second side in facing relation to the rear side of the meter housing. The seed metering system further includes a seal in contact with the front side of the meter housing and the first side of the seed disk.

A seed sensor includes a housing. An internal seed channel defines a path for seeds to flow along a central axis through the seed sensor. A sensor unit is positioned alongside the internal seed channel within the housing. An inlet end of the seed sensor includes a tapered inlet section. The housing includes a mounting loop having a pair of oppositely angled surfaces for mounting the seed sensor in a pair of oppositely angled configurations.

A seed metering system for metering a plurality of seeds includes a meter housing having a first side and a second side. A seed inlet is positioned at the first side and an aperture is positioned at the second side. The seed metering system further includes a hub mounted within the aperture, a retaining member located at the hub, and a metering member positioned on the hub. The metering member compressively engages the retaining member.

A seed meter disk includes a body defining a plane of rotation. A circumferential array of seed openings are provided for seed adherence. A circumferential array of seed agitator pockets are formed as depressions in the first side of the body, each one of the array of seed agitator pockets having a radially inner end, a radially outer end, and a trailing edge extending from the radially inner end to the radially outer end. At least a portion of the trailing edge of one or more of the seed agitator pockets is backswept so that a circumferential-direction offset from a radial reference line rotationally ahead of the trailing edge, with respect to rotation of the seed meter disk in an operational direction, increases toward the radially outer end. The backswept portion is non-linear.

A seed meter for metering a plurality of seeds includes a seed disk housing having a seed inlet, a seed outlet, and a chamber therebetween, a seed disk mounted within the chamber of the seed disk housing, a motor having an output shaft and a gear mounted thereon, the gear being engageable with the seed disk and operable to rotate the seed disk relative to the seed disk housing, a mount fixed relative to the motor, the mount having a non-planar engagement surface, and a hook attached to the seed disk housing, the hook having a non-planar engagement surface engageable with the engagement surface of the mount.

An agricultural vehicle includes a coupling structure for making a tool-less attachment between a first connector piece and a second connector piece. The first connector piece has at least one pin, and the second connector piece has at least one slot adapted to receive the pin in a receiving pocket that is circumferentially spaced from an axially-open inlet portion of the slot. The slot includes an inlet ramp between the slot inlet portion and the receiving pocket, and the inlet ramp is less steeply angled than a second ramp surface that forms a portion of the receiving pocket adjacent the first ramp.