Maximizing yield potential: Preparing your planter for spring – Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal

February 26, 2025 Equipment, Top Headlines

By John Fulton

As planting season approaches, it’s crucial to ensure both your planter and its associated technology are ready. With the high cost of seeds and the goal of maximizing yield potential, accurate placement of seeds and fertilizer is essential to avoid mistakes, including compaction. Properly checking your planter can help achieve uniform planting and correct seed depth, which are vital for optimal yield and profitability.

Yield potential is influenced by various yield-limiting factors (YLFs) throughout the season. Research indicates that planting errors can significantly impact corn yield, with good seed-to-soil contact potentially increasing yield by 10 bushels per acre. Uneven emergence can lead to a 5% to 9% yield reduction in corn, making seeding depth and downforce management critical for planter performance.

The planter pass is one of the most crucial operations of the season. The objectives of the planter pass are to 1) maintain the target seeding rate across the field, 2) achieve uniform seed spacing and good singulation, and 3) ensure adequate and uniform planting depth without compaction, supporting immediate germination and uniform emergence. Before heading to the field, consider this checklist for your planter and technology:

By monitoring field conditions and weather forecasts, and regularly checking settings, you can create optimal conditions for maximizing yield potential. Here are checklists for checking the planter and technology prior to planting.

Planter checklist

Technology checklist

Dr. John Fulton, Professor, can be reached at [email protected]. This column is provided by the OSU Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, OSU Extension, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.