An agricultural implement is provided that includes a number of row units. The row units include one or more seed meters for receiving, singulating, and dispensing seed to the ground such that preferred spacing of subsequent seed is attained. Seed delivery systems are included to aid in transporting the seed from the seed meter to the ground in a controlled manner to mitigate skips and to aid in controlling the spacing of the seeds, which can be based upon the ground speed of the implement as it moves through the field. The seed delivery systems can control the transport of the seed to a furrow in the field such that the seed can experience zero or near zero relative velocity so that the seed will have little to no movement once positioned in the furrow.

A precision seed-distribution system of the type applied on planters with a machine element that touches the soil, a row unit chassis that supports a seed meter, and a seed conductor tube extending downward from the seed meter. The seed conductor tube may have vertical grooves along a length of the seed conductor tube and across an internal surface of at least one sidewall of the seed conductor tube.

A seed orientation apparatus and system has a seed transfer tube that receives randomly oriented seeds from an agricultural row planter seed meter and moves seeds from a seed collector to a curved pathway in a seed orientation coil assembly. The seed orientation coil assembly uses some combination of aerodynamics, centrifugal force, and path geometry to align the seed. The aligned seed is stabilized and entrained in an air stream and is subsequently discharged into a wedge-shaped furrow, detrained from the air stream, and wedged in the furrow before being covered by a closing wheel, thereby planting the aligned seed into the soil while achieving tip-down seed orientation with the germ facing an adjacent row. The seed orientation apparatus and system may be retrofitted onto existing planter row units. A method of planting is also described.

A multiple variety seed meter for multi-variety row crop planting a segmented feed pipe system that may include a feed pipe with multiple passages that can be rotated to present one of multiple variety openings toward a seed pool in the seed meter to deliver a specific seed variety into the seed meter. The feed pipe may be an inner selector pipe concentrically nested for rotation in an outer sleeve that extends into the seed meter.

An opener configured to be coupled to an agricultural implement is provided. The opener includes a first passage configured for pneumatic delivery of a first agricultural product. The first passage is defined by a first wall. The first passage includes a first outlet for the first agricultural product. The opener also includes a second passage configured for singulated delivery of a second agricultural product. The second passage is defined by a second wall. The second wall of the second passage is disposed within the first wall of the first passage.

An inductor apparatus includes an inductor assembly mounted under a seed container such that seeds flow into a reservoir. An air conduit carrying pressurized air extends along the reservoir. Seed channels extend from an inlet located above a pickup air opening in the air conduit to an outlet, and a bypass channel extends downward from each seed channel through an upper wall of the air conduit. A pickup air stream flowing out the pickup air opening forms a seed air stream entrained with seeds flowing into each seed channel inlet and a bypass air stream flows from the air conduit through each bypass channel into each seed channel and the combined seed and bypass air streams flow out the seed channel outlets. The seed channel outlets can be arranged along each side of the inductor assembly, and the rate of flow of the bypass air stream can be adjusted.

The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to devices, systems and methods for on-the-go monitoring and controlled feedback in a supplemental downforce application. Certain implementations provide real-time monitoring of furrow depth via contact and non-contact approaches, some of which are combined with gauge wheel feedback to calibrate and otherwise control the application of supplemental downforce to the row unit. A combination of sensor types are employed in collecting furrow depth measurements, which can be used to adjust the supplemental downforce through a control system module. A gauge wheel load sensor may be used to modify the application of supplemental downforce.

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 system and method for on-planter seed treatments is disclosed. The planter includes a seed meter, a seed drop tube, a seed, a seed-applied substance receptacle, and a seed-applied substance applicator having a discharge path. A seed-applied substance is loaded in the seed-applied substance receptacle. The seed-applied substance is supplied to the seed-applied substance applicator. The seed-applied substance is discharged from the seed-applied substance applicator into the discharge path during planting. The seed from the seed drop tube is combined with the seed-applied substance from the seed-applied substance applicator within the discharge path for prescriptively treating the seed with the seed applied substance. The seed having on it the seed applied substance is then planted.

Provided is a seeder assembly for an aerial vehicle as shown and described. The distribution assembly includes a frame selectively attachable to an aerial vehicle and at least one distribution device attached to the frame. The distribution device having a body defining a cavity to receive a plurality of products and a barrel to discharge the plurality of products. A control device configured to communicate with the aerial vehicle and the distribution device to coordinate the timing that products are discharged and a spacing of a subsequent discharged product relative to the speed of the aerial vehicle. A system, method, and cartridge device associated with the distribution assembly are also contemplated by this disclosure.