Planting soybeans earlier can be critical to maximizing yield potential.1 Why wait until you’re done planting corn with your planter to start planting soybeans? Adding a lower-investment air drill to your operation can be a great option to help you plant soybeans earlier or into tough no-till seedbeds. Here are three reasons why you should consider the Case IH Precision Disk™ 550 series air drill for efficient soybean seeding:
1. Maximize yields & ROI.
You know the importance of uniform plant stands in corn crops — fast-, evenly emerging plants can be the key to higher yields. Studies show that it’s the same case for soybeans — and late-emerging soybeans can be costly.2 When soybeans emerge just four days behind, it can amount to a potential loss of up to $140 per acre.
That’s why it’s important to choose a seeder that’s designed for more uniform seed placement to promote consistent, more rapid emergence. With Case IH Precision Disk 550 series air drills, you don’t have to sacrifice accuracy for efficiency. Precision Disk 550 series air drills deliver accurate seed placement no matter the conditions — and won’t break your budget.
2. Agronomically designed for accuracy.
Like our Early Riser® planters, Case IH Precision Disk 550 series air drills are built on Agronomic Design™ principles to help maximize yield. These air drills are designed to efficiently cut through residue, open a uniform seed trench, accurately deliver the seed and effectively close the trench. Features that contribute to increased accuracy and efficiency include:
- A parallel link row unit. This design element delivers consistent coulter depth, seed placement and closing wheel pressure.
- A heavy-duty closing system that seals the trench effectively with a double-edged closing wheel.
- A forward-facing seed tube. This feature directs the seed toward the scraper for precise placement and helps reduce tumble.
- An exclusive variable-rate down pressure spring to hold the row unit at the correct depth with the ability to adjust with ease on the go.
Plus, Precision Disk air drills are built rugged to allow you to seed at higher speeds and spend less time on daily maintenance.
3. Soybean special configurations get back to basics
While Case IH offers a wide range of models to match your needs, a new soybean special configuration delivers the versatile tank-mounted Precision Disk 550T model with a simple, single rank design — making it an ideal option for planting soybeans. This Precision Disk 500T air drill configuration is offered in 30- and 40-foot widths with either a 110- or 140-bushel tank. Split-row configurations with either 7.5-,10- or 15-inch spacing. When equipped with 7.5- or 10-inch spacing, the front or rear ranks can be hydraulically lifted and locked to seed with 15- or 20-inch spacing, respectively. The 550T is also available in a single-rank, 15-inch spacing configuration — ideal for soybean seeding.
The most important job of any air drill is to ensure even and accurate seed placement — and the Case IH Precision Disk 550 series air drill is a great option to boost soybean yields and maximize your equipment ROI in the long run. See the full lineup here, and talk with your local Case IH dealer to find the right Precision Disk 550 series air drill for your operation.
1Based on field research from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
2Based on field research from North Carolina State Extension and North Carolina Soybean Producer Association.