ProTrakker Provides Yield Boosts In Edge-Row Sowing Practice

May 30, 2019

Odebolt, IA (May 30, 2019) - Non-wetting soils, such as those found in dry climates, force growers to adopt a new planting practice that allows crops to have better access to moisture and nutrients in the soil. Producers in Australia are moving toward a precise planting method called “edge-row sowing". The planting process can be characterized as precisely sowing seeds alongside the previous year’s crop furrows. In order for growers to meet the accuracy demands, many of them use ProTrakker Implement Guidance Systems to keep their equipment on a straight, repeatable path.

The guidance systems help eliminate many difficulties associated with edge-row sowing. One reason why ProTrakker is well suited for this type of planting is the product’s ease-of-use. The company’s hydraulic hitch lineup can be easily mounted on almost all tractor drawbars. This adaptability means that virtually any implement can be turned into a piece of precision equipment.

Implement drift can cause major issues with edge-row sowing. If a planter misplaces the seeds, there is less of a chance that it will have access to residual nutrients, moisture, and root pathways left by the previous furrows. ProTrakker’s products are designed to give the operator more control of drift through dual hydraulic cylinders that adjust in either direction. Gaining as much as 15 inches of off-line correction, growers can stay on track with their precision planting.

Benefits of Edge-Row Sowing with ProTrakker

According to the Farm Weekly article, “Edge-Row Sowing Reputation Grows”, there are proven yield increases as a result of producers using ProTrakker in their edge-row sowing operation. One planting trial showed a seven percent increase in wheat, barley, and canola yields. The article also reported that an advantage of using ProTrakker is that farmers can sow into semi- wet conditions without disturbing any stubble.

Observations from a row sowing study conducted by the Government of South Australia concluded that ProTrakker has an edge in precision seed placement. ProTrakker was noted for its ability to sow seeds beside the crop rows from the previous growing season. Titled “Improved Crop Establishment Through Technological Innovation,” the report highlighted that ProTrakker demonstrated this type of sowing “could be implemented on a commercial scale”.

“It is great to hear about the success that ProTrakker users are having with edge-row sowing,” said Cory Miller, President of ProTrakker Guidance Systems. “Precise control over an implement makes all the difference in crop performance. That principle works with other precision applications such as strip-till, side dressing, planting, cultivation, and no-till.”

Another tip to help you start planting season on the right foot is to look into precision ag equipment, like ProTrakker Guidance Systems. ProTrakker offers a diverse line-up of hydraulic hitch guidance systems that can easily turn most implements into precision ag tools. ProTrakker's implement guidance systems can help make your cultivation and planting more accurate and consistent by precisely steering your implement.

For more information about ProTrakker Guidance Systems, view ProTrakkers hydraulic hitch systems.