Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for monitoring soil properties and applying fertilizer during a planting operation. Various sensors are disposed in ground engaging components for monitoring soil properties. The ground engaging components may have structure for opening a side trench in the sidewalls of the seed trench and may include liquid application conduits for injecting liquid into the sidewalls of the resulting side trenches.

Abstract: Described herein are implements that include a vehicle having a system for sensing or testing soil and/or vegetation as the vehicle traverses a field.

Abstract: A coulter assembly for collecting soil samples from an agricultural field in one embodiment comprises an annular collection blade configured for penetrating soil to capture a sample, an annular cam ring configured for stationary mounting to a frame of an agricultural vehicle and comprising a cam track, a blade hub coupled to the blade for rotatably supporting the annular collection blade from the annular cam ring, and a movable sample collector mounted to the annular collection blade. The moveable sample collector is configured and operable for extracting a soil sample as the annular collection blade is rotated through the soil. The moveable sample collector in one embodiment comprises a piston mechanism including a cylinder and rod movably disposed therein which actuated by the annular cam ring to alternatingly open and close a collection end of the cylinder as the annular collection blade rotates through the soil.

Abstract: A coulter assembly for collecting soil samples from an agricultural field in one embodiment comprises an annular collection blade configured for penetrating soil to capture a sample, an annular cam ring configured for stationary mounting to a frame of an agricultural vehicle and comprising a cam track, a blade hub coupled to the blade for rotatably supporting the annular collection blade from the annular cam ring, and a movable sample collector mounted to the annular collection blade. The moveable sample collector is configured and operable for extracting a soil sample as the annular collection blade is rotated through the soil. The moveable sample collector in one embodiment comprises a piston mechanism including a cylinder and rod movably disposed therein which actuated by the annular cam ring to alternatingly open and close a collection end of the cylinder as the annular collection blade rotates through the soil.

Abstract: A system is provided for measuring soil properties. The system includes at least one sensor coupled to a row unit of an agricultural implement and a camera coupled to the row unit of the agricultural implement. The at least one sensor is configured to measure at least one soil property of soil worked by the row unit and/or of soil in a trench opened by an opening assembly of the row unit. And, the camera is arranged, on the row unit, to capture images of the soil worked by the row unit and/or the trench opened by the opening assembly of the row unit.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An agricultural implement system having: a row unit coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener system coupled to a chassis of the row unit and configured to engage soil to form a trench; a downforce system configured to apply a downforce to the row unit to adjust a contact force between the row unit and the soil; a soil condition sensor configured to detect a condition of the soil and/or an operational sensor configured to detect operation of the agricultural implement system; a closing system, configured to close the trench created by the opener system; and a controller coupled to the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor, wherein the controller is configured to control the downforce system and the closing system in response to feedback from the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor.

Abstract: An agricultural implement system having: a row unit coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener system coupled to the row unit and configured to engage soil to form a trench; a soil condition sensor; a closing system, configured to close the trench created by the opener system, the closing system comprises: a first disk configured to engage the soil and close the trench; a second disk configured to engage the soil and close the trench; and a controller configured to couple to the soil condition sensor and control a position or orientation of the first disk or the second disk in response to feedback from the soil condition sensor.

Abstract: A liquid application apparatus for applying liquid to soil during a planting operation, having: a ground-engaging component mounted to a planter row unit, the planter row unit opening a planting trench, the planter row unit depositing seeds in the planting trench, the ground-engaging component disposed at least partially within said planting trench as the planter row unit traverses the field; a first liquid injection conduit mounted to said ground-engaging component and disposed to inject liquid into a first sidewall of said planting trench, and wherein said ground-engaging component is mounted in a housing via at least one of a height adjustment arm that is pivotably mounted in the housing to allow for height adjustment of said ground-engaging component, and a spring that is pivotably mounted in the housing to allow for vertical deflection of said ground-engaging component.

Abstract: A coulter assembly for collecting soil samples from an agricultural field in one embodiment comprises an annular collection blade configured for penetrating soil to capture a sample, an annular cam ring configured for stationary mounting to a frame of an agricultural vehicle and comprising a cam track, a blade hub coupled to the blade for rotatably supporting the annular collection blade from the annular cam ring, and a movable sample collector mounted to the annular collection blade. The moveable sample collector is configured and operable for extracting a soil sample as the annular collection blade is rotated through the soil. The moveable sample collector in one embodiment comprises a piston mechanism including a cylinder and rod movably disposed therein which actuated by the annular cam ring to alternatingly open and close a collection end of the cylinder as the annular collection blade rotates through the soil.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit of an agricultural planter. The row unit includes a trench depth adjustment assembly configured to modify the furrow depth. In one embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a gear box having one or more gears which engage with a gear rack. The gear box may be pivotally connected to a depth adjustment body supporting a rocker that adjusts upward travel of gauge wheel arms. In another embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a depth adjustment arm having a screw receiver that cooperates with a driven screw that adjusts the position of the depth adjustment arm acting on the gauge wheels to adjust trench depth.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a cartridge includes at least one compartment and a reagent in the at least one compartment. The reagent is a chemical composition for testing at least one of soil and vegetation for a chemical contained in the soil or vegetation. The reagent can be used in a soil and/or vegetation analysis test. The cartridge can contain an authentication chip to ensure that the reagent is the correct reagent for the analysis test.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for monitoring soil properties. An example control and monitoring system for an agricultural implement having a plurality of row units includes a reflectivity sensor, a camera, a processor, and a monitoring device. The reflectivity sensor generates a reflectivity signal related to reflectivity of soil worked by the row units. The camera captures images of a seed trench opened by an opening assembly of the row units. The camera is disposed on a shank extension forward of seeds being deposited in the seed trench by the row units. The processor is configured to calculate a statistical variation in the reflectivity signal and the monitoring device is configured to display one or more of the images captured by the camera and a representation of the statistical variation.

Abstract: A system for sensing characteristics of a trench in a soil surface during planting operations. A trench opening assembly opens a trench in the soil surface as the trench opening assembly moves in a forward direction of travel. A trench closing assembly disposed rearward of the trench opening assembly closes the opened trench with soil. One or more sensors may be disposed on an appurtenance disposed in said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the open trench or an area of the trench closed with soil by the trench closing assembly or a sensor may be disposed outside of said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the trench closed with soil or a combination of the sensors may be disposed in the trench and outside of the trench.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit of an agricultural planter. The row unit includes a trench depth adjustment assembly configured to modify the furrow depth. In one embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a gear box having one or more gears which engage with a gear rack. The gear box may be pivotally connected to a depth adjustment body supporting a rocker that adjusts upward travel of gauge wheel arms. In another embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a depth adjustment arm having a screw receiver that cooperates with a driven screw that adjusts the position of the depth adjustment arm acting on the gauge wheels to adjust trench depth.

Abstract: A system for seed orientation includes a seed disk capable of rotation in operation and having at least one singulator to adjust an orientation of seed to a desired seed orientation for placement within a furrow during planting. A vision system in proximity to the seed disk determines seed orientation data for seed on the seed disk.

Abstract: A system for sensing characteristics of a trench in a soil surface during planting operations. A trench opening assembly opens a trench in the soil surface as the trench opening assembly moves in a forward direction of travel. A trench closing assembly disposed rearward of the trench opening assembly closes the opened trench with soil. One or more sensors may be disposed on an appurtenance disposed in said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the open trench or an area of the trench closed with soil by the trench closing assembly or a sensor may be disposed outside of said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the trench closed with soil or a combination of the sensors may be disposed in the trench and outside of the trench.

Abstract: A ground-engaging component disposed at least partially within a planting trench formed by a planter row unit in a soil surface. The ground engaging component is capable of pivoting laterally side-to-side about a pivot axis as the ground engaging component advances in a forward direction of travel. The ground engaging component may include at least one wing extending laterally outward to form a side trench in a sidewall of the planting trench as the planter row unit advances in the forward direction of travel. The at least one wing may include a fluid outlet in fluid communication with a fluid source to deposit fluid into the side trench.

Abstract: A soil imaging system having a work layer sensor disposed on an agricultural implement to generate an electromagnetic field through a soil area of interest as the agricultural implement traverses a field. A monitor in communication with the work layer sensor is adapted to generate a work layer image of the soil layer of interest based on the generated electromagnetic field. The work layer sensor may also generate a reference image by generating an electromagnetic field through undisturbed soil. The monitor may compare at least one characteristic of the reference image with at least one characteristic of the work layer image to generate a characterized image of the work layer of interest. The monitor may display operator feedback and may effect operational control of the agricultural implement based on the characterized image.