Closing Wheel Performance in Various Tillage Conditions ‣ Corn

C is for Close

The main goal of a proper closing system is to remove air pockets, lift and fracture the side walls to achieve good seed-to-soil contact. In this study, we evaluated the performance of non-sensing single-stage and two-stage automatic sensing closing systems in four different tillage practices:

• Conventional » In the fall after harvest, deep 13” ripping with aggressive cutting and mixing of residue. A spring soil finisher leveled before planting.
• Strip-Till » In the fall after harvest, 10” deep strips were created with a strip-till unit. Herbicide was used as a burndown to control early season weeds in the absence of spring tillage.
• Vertical-Till » In the fall after harvest, vertical tillage was used to mix, cut, and level residue in a 3” depth tillage pass. Herbicide was used as a burndown to control early season weeds in the absence of spring tillage.
• No-Till » Planting directly into last year’s soybean stubble with no tillage activity performed. Herbicide was used as a burndown to control early season weeds in the absence of tillage.

Breaking it Down

Next, we weighed the pros and cons of each closing system we tested:

FurrowForce® Closing and Sensing Control

Advantages:

• Lifts and fractures sidewall compaction/smear
• 2nd stage stitching and removal of air pocket
• Ability for automatic sensing/control of soil variability

Disadvantages:

• Rocks can be problematic if rock guards aren't added, increasing cost

Non-Sensing Traditional Dual Rubber

Advantages:

• Sealing or “pinching” in dry conditions

Disadvantages:

• Difficult to lift/fracture sidewalls, struggles to close furrow

Non-Sensing Dual Yetter Poly Twister®

Advantages:

• Lifts and fractures sidewall compaction/smear
• Center ring acts as depth maintainer

Disadvantages:

• Lightweight wheels require increased tension

Non-Sensing Martin-Till® fCrusher

Advantages:

• Tapered tooth design, lightweight cast
• Allows firming and crumbling.

Disadvantages:

• Single stage, potential to overpack

Non-Sensing Dual Yetter Cast Twister®

Advantages:

• Ring-only option for easy installation
• Allows firming and crumbling

Disadvantages:

• Single stage, potential to overpack

Non-Sensing Case Manual Two Stage

Advantages:

• Lifts and fractures sidewall compaction/smear
• 2nd stage removal of air pocket
• Multiple manual settings for easy adjustment

Disadvantages:

• Manual control, no sensing

Study Results

The clear advantage for FurrowForce occurred in reduced tillage environments such as no-till and vertical tillage. In these programs, average yield gains of up to +4.5 to +6.0 Bu/A with increased revenue of +$18.16 to +$24.54/A clearly indicate that in tougher closing situations, a more robust system is needed to effectively close the furrow.

Past Study Videos

Past Study: 2023

In our 2023 study results, FurrowForce had average yield gains of 6.66 Bu/A across all tillage environments, which equated to additional revenue of $32.94/A.

However, the most significant advantage for FurrowForce occurred in reduced tillage environments such as no-till and vertical tillage. In these programs, FurrowForce had average yield gains of up to 10.3 Bu/A with increased revenue of $54.48/A. This clearly indicates that when it comes to tougher closing situations, a more robust system is needed to effectively close the furrow and protect our yield.

Study Details 

Study data collected 2018-2024 at the PTI Farm in Pontiac, IL.