Variability of gauge-wheel loads resulting from a hydraulic downforce system and the impacts on corn seeding depth and emergence

Authors: OLIVIERA, LUAN - Auburn University; ORTIZ, BRENDA - Auburn University; SILVA, ROUVERSON - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP); Way, Thomas - Tom; OLIVIERA, MAILSON - Auburn University; PATE, GREGORY - Alabama Agriculture Experiment Station

Submitted to: Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE)
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2021
Publication Date: 7/16/2021
Citation: Oliviera, L., Ortiz, B., Silva, R., Way, T.R., Oliviera, M., Pate, G. 2021. Variability of gauge-wheel loads resulting from a hydraulic downforce system and the impacts on corn seeding depth and emergence. Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE). 2101200. https://doi.org/10.13031/aim.202101200.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/aim.202101200

Interpretive Summary: Row crop planters are used for planting various agricultural crops. Attaining good contact of the crop seed with soil is important in getting moisture from the soil to the seed, to promote seed germination, emergence of the plant from the soil, and growth of the plant. Computer-controlled hydraulic downforce systems are available for controlling the vertical force applied by the planter to the soil. We used a planter equipped with a hydraulic downforce system, planting corn in a clay loam soil. Greater uniformity of seeding depth is desirable, and we found greater planter vertical load gave greater seeding depth uniformity.

Technical Abstract: The quality and efficiency of agricultural operations is a function of how the implements are performing. Current hydraulic downforce systems on the market work using two operational modes, static and dynamic. Both, if not set properly, can reduce the quality of crop planting. This work aimed to evaluate if the quality of corn planting is affected by the downforce operational mode or gauge-wheel loads. Planting of corn in a clay loam soil using a conventional tillage system was done using a six-row John Deere MaxEmerge Plus planter equipped with a commercial hydraulic downforce system. For the static operational mode, six gauge-wheel load levels were tested: No downforce (NDF - Row-unit weight only), Very Low - 444 N, Low - 535 N, Medium - 667 N, High - 890 N, and Very High - 1112 N. Five loads were evaluated using dynamic mode: same very low, low, and medium loads as in static mode, and also 756 N and 867 N, which were designated as High and Very High, respectively. The data were collected according to statistical control process specifications in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Data of seeding depth and emergence were collected from every treatment. Gauge-wheel load variability was greater when no specific load was applied (only row-unit weight). Higher loads in dynamic or static mode reduced seeding depth variability. The different gauge-wheel loads evaluated either on dynamic and static modes had positive correlation with seeding depth. There was a positive association between static-mode applied loads, seeding depth, and emergence velocity index.