Methods, systems, and kits are provided for in situ seed treatment with liquid crop benefit compositions at planting in furrow.

A trench closing assembly including a scraper.

A trench closing assembly including at least one rock guard.

A liquid dispensing apparatus for applying liquid products to row crops. The liquid dispensing apparatus includes a plurality of drop assemblies supported by and laterally spaced along a boom structure. Each of the drop assemblies includes dribble hoses for dribbling a liquid product onto the soil in a rhizosphere of adjacent crop rows. The drop assemblies may include a spray assembly for spraying the row crops. The dribble hoses may be supported by a base unit with positionable support brackets.

A method enhances soil by preparing a microbial solution with microbes, a growth medium, and water; iteratively and selectively breeding generations of microbes to arrive at a predetermined microbial solution in a concentrated form of at least 1×10.sup.7 cfu/ml (colony-forming units per milliliter); adding humic acid with amino acids and protein to support an active microbial population to support active and healthy plant growth; and storing the microbial solution as a solid for enriching the soil with micronutrients, microbial cultures and organic materials.

The present invention involves a seed firmer with a pusher attachment that extends the life of the seed firmer and improved brackets for mounting the same to a planter. The improved brackets allow for different mechanisms of mounting seed firmers to different locations on a planter. The brackets have portions for attaching and mounting to the planter, and a housing for accepting and securing the firmers. The brackets allow for better positioning of firmers on a planter, ease of mounting and/or replacement of firmers, and improved firmer functionality.

Various embodiments of an apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products described herein are directed to an agricultural observation and treatment system and method of operation. The agricultural treatment system may determine a first real-world geo-spatial location of the treatment system. The system can receive captured images depicting real-world agricultural objects of a geographic scene. The system can associate captured images with the determined geo-spatial location of the treatment system. The treatment system can identify, from a group of mapped and indexed images, images having a second real-word geo-spatial location that is proximate with the first real-world geo-spatial location. The treatment system can compare at least a portion of the identified images with at least a portion of the captured images. The treatment system can determine a target object and emit a fluid projectile at the target object using a treatment device.

An agricultural machine includes a source of a substance to be applied to an agricultural field and a substance outlet through which the substance is configured to pass to be applied to the field. The agricultural machine further includes a controllable piezo-actuated valve and a control signal generator configured to generate a valve control signal. The piezo-actuated valve includes a valve inlet configured to be in fluidic communication with the source of substance to be applied to the field and a valve outlet through which the substance to be applied to the field passes to move through the piezo-actuated valve. The piezo-actuated valve further includes a piezo element configured to move in response to the valve control signal and a flexure, coupled to the piezo element, and configured to amplify the movement of the piezo element to provide a valve driving movement.

Methods and systems for generating a plasma-activated liquid or gas, and applying the plasma-activated liquid for agricultural use. A system embodiment includes a hand-held device that can be pointed and directed at different target areas of a plant. A method embodiment includes generating a plasma discharge in a gas environment or a liquid environment, and applying the gas/liquid to a plant.

A mobile agricultural application machine includes a controllable valve and nozzle through which a substance is applied to an agricultural field. The controllable valve is a piezo-actuated valve. An application control system generates valve control signals to control a piezo actuator on the piezo-actuated valve.