A new seed delivery system now in development by Precision Planting promises to allow growers to plant corn and soybeans much faster than is possible with seed tubes.

Jason Stoller, Precision Planting Engineering Product Manager for the new SpeedTube™, says, “Available time for optimum spring planting is both limited and critical, and larger planters are not the answer to growing farm sizes. But planting speed is limited by the constraints of the seed tube, because high speeds lead to poor spacing.”

Stoller explains that SpeedTube solves these problems by controlling the seed all the way from the meter to the furrow. Feeder wheels at the top grab the seed from the disk and pull it into a flighted belt that deposits it in bottom of the trench. The SpeedTube belt spins at a rate that increases and decreases with planter speed and seeding rates, ensuring that the seed placement is optimal.

The SpeedTube concept development continues at a brisk pace, says Stoller, and more details will follow after the spring planting season.

Precision Planting is an industry leader in planter technology solutions. Founded in Central Illinois and now part of Monsanto’s Integrated Farming Systems, Precision Planting focuses on developing innovative products that improve the planting process. The company is also well-known for its unique and innovative approach to addressing the current agronomic issues facing growers and providing practical educational resources for planting improvement.