The Problem With Compaction
Planters today are bigger than ever — with more rows and increased, centralized seed and fertilizer capacity. While this allows farmers to plant more acres per day and reduce the time needed to fill the planter, there are drawbacks. With so much weight centered above the center rows, pinch row compaction is increasingly becoming a problem that leads to stunted plant growth and reduced yields.
Typically, pinch row compaction occurs on the middle six rows next to the transport tires on a bulk fill planter. So, depending on the size of your planter, this can affect anywhere from 50% (12 row planter) to 25% (24 row planter) of the rows in your fields. The differences in yield can be significant as our Pinch Row Compaction infographic illustrates.
The Solution
To help overcome the challenge of pinch row compaction and uneven planter weight distribution, Kinze developed the Weight Transfer System. This system reduces the weight of seed on the pinch rows on a bulk fill planter from approximately 6,000 lbs. to 2,250 lbs. to reduce yield loss due to compaction. In addition, with weight being transferred to the wings, the outside rows stay in the ground to ensure a more uniform planting depth.
Learn more about how this innovative system works by watching out the video below.