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  Assumption: I set my field cultivator and now I’m ready to hit my fields. ​

  
  

  Reality: Field conditions are constantly changing. Certainly, the seedbed surface is critical. But you need to dig deeper — to the floor. Each time the field cultivator shank trips or floats, the sweep pivots and creates gouges in the seedbed floor that make the planter row unit bounce during planting. With new AFS Soil Command™ seedbed sensing technology, you can identify problem areas and give operators the knowledge and tools to fix them before it’s too late.  

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  ​Assumption: I don’t need to adjust my soil preparation approach. My planter can react to my field conditions. 

  
  

  Reality: While planter down force systems have certainly advanced, they are still reacting to the seedbed created by the spring tillage pass.  Creating a high-efficiency seedbed is critical for planting success at the highest level of productivity, and that starts with a smooth seedbed floor. The seedbed floor determines how your planter's row units ride across the field — not to mention how well they can cut residue. The floor should be firm and smooth. A rough subsurface floor can affect a planter’s ability to place seed at a consistent depth even with advanced row unit down pressure systems.   Inconsistent depth potentially leads to uneven emergence and lower yield potential.

  
  

Assumption: Come Spring, I Hit My Fields With a Disk, and They’re Ready to Plant

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  Assumption: After all, aren't seedbeds made in the spring?

  Reality: When the gathering chains grab that last cornstalk, it's time to celebrate — at least until you get the combine in the shed. But on the drive home, you're already thinking about next year. And you should be. Seedb​ed prep is a year-ro​und job. Your Axial-Flow® combine, with stalk and residue processing and even distribution out the back, puts you at an advantage, but there's still work to do. A fall tillage pass with the right equipment, whether an Ecolo-Tiger® disk ripper, the True-Tandem™ Barracuda or a True-Tandem disk harrow, can help you size residue, mix and bury it or leave a protective surface layer to set your fields up for success.​​

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  ​​Assu​mption: It’s all about mph.

  Reality: It seems obvious. The faster you travel, the more acres you cover and the more productive your day. But miles per hour don’t matter if you’re creating a subpar seedbed. Achieving a high-efficiency seedbed requires proper settings and the right conditioning system for the field. Single-point hydraulic depth control, tool-free leveling and a floating-hitch option on the Tiger-Mate 255 help you quickly make the adjustments that produce the ideal seedbed at higher speeds. In fact, early results from Case IH research plots show that running the Tiger-Mate 255 at higher speeds improves clod sizing without sacrificing seedbed conditions. So, yes, with the right equipment, it is all about miles per hour.​

Planting Efficiency Without Results Isn’t Efficient

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  Match Planter Speed to Field Conditions

  ​Just because you can plant fast doesn’t mean you should. Instead, aim to plant at an optimal speed — one that allows your planter to achieve peak pe​​​rformance and consistency, according to the field conditions you’re dealt on any given day. ​

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  Efficient Planting Means More Than Planting Fast

  ​You get only one chance to plant your crop and place the seed in a way that gives it the best chance of reaching its full yield potential. Technology on the 2000 series Early Riser planter provides that seed-by-seed precision, and it starts at the individual row level. Rather than a 24-row planter lumbering across your fields, automatic and in-cab adjustments allow the 2000 Early Riser to be like 24, one-row planters instantaneously adjusting as conditions change. ​​​​