Managing soil compaction with Fendt Momentum planter

AGCO Corporation will be demonstrating new technologies to manage planting-time soil compaction during its 2020 Fendt Momentum Crop Tour program in North America.

Planting delays and soil compaction

According to AGCO, after the wet planting season and late harvest of 2019, growers in many America states dealt with planting delays from excess rain again in 2020. Being able to plant crops in a short window without adding to yield-robbing soil compaction is important for optimum crop productivity.

“Until now, high-capacity, central-fill planters used to optimise the number of acres planted in a day often bring a downside of pinch rows and tire-track compaction at the center of the planter. Damp soils only make the situation worse,” says AGCO.

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Get an in depth look at the all new Fendt Momentum planter, as Larry Kuster, @AGCOcorp Sr. Marketing Specialist walks through some of its unique features. View all of the Momentum walkarounds here: https://t.co/UCpse5gbc1 #ItsFendt #ItsTime #Momentum #FendtNA pic.twitter.com/dhdukMuJCo

— Fendt_NA (@Fendt_NA) April 16, 2020

Fendt Momentum Crop Tour

The company’s new Fendt Momentum planter is to help farmers solve these and other planting-time challenges. The Momentum planter’s capabilities will be showcased through a Fendt Momentum Crop Tour.

As in previous years, this educational program uses the latest crop-mapping and data-collection technology to help growers better understand the interactions that influence crop performance so they can ultimately make better decisions based on their local conditions.

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Load Logic weight-management system

Crop Tour plots have been planted using the Momentum planter and the Load Logic weight-management system to demonstrate how the automated technology can reduce compaction to positively impact plant health and yield. The Crop Tour also will continue to demonstrate how best planting practices improve seedling establishment and crop yields. The program is in its fifth season.

Corn has been planted in the plots using pre-production models of the Fendt Momentum planter, with locations at Pontiac, Illinois; Stewartville, Minnesota; Baltic, South Dakota; and Chillicothe and Lima, Ohio.

Follow the crop tour virtually

Traditionally, growers and dealers are invited to educational plot demonstrations in July and August to see crop differences first-hand and learn about the practices and technology involved. In consideration of customer health and concerns about COVID-19, AGCO is formulating plans to also share the agronomic knowledge from the Crop Tour with producers virtually.

AGCO will report plot progress, event updates and harvest results through farm media outlets, as well as online, on Facebook, on Twitter and on Instagram. Follow the hashtags #AGCOCropTour and #FendtMomentum.

The Fendt Momentum planter was launched in North America earlier this year. Read all about Fendt’s smart planter in our previous report.