Recent investments into planting technologies by equipment manufacturers have resulted in giant leaps forward in both high- and low-tech solutions for improved planting. Equipment manufacturers have developed systems that are faster and produce more uniform emergence across varied conditions. While some of these technologies may not have as large of an impact in soybean production as they do in other crops, they should be considered when the same planters are being used across commodities.

Our national Science for Success team has released a new factsheet on various types of planter technologies that include planters, downforce, in-furrow applications, row cleaners and closing wheels. This factsheet describes various uses and caveats to each new type of technology to provide information to farmers when choosing which types of technologies are worth the investment on their farms.

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