New Choice for Twin-Row Planters

Case IH, long known for its unique Early Riser planter row units is adding twin-row for 2013. But don't look for the familiar chubby packing wheel on these new planters. Instead, Case IH is sourcing the row units from Great Plains.

The need to push up planting populations is pressuring farmers to narrow rows, or seek other ways to enhance planting efficiency. The twin-row approach is one option, which allows a grower to boost populations while not having to change the corn head or make other major investments in equipment.

The Case Early Riser Twin Row planter separates the twin row by 8 inches, and plants on 30-inch centers. Bill Hoeg, Case IH planter sales and marketing manager for North America, actually stood in the rain during the product introduction (even in the drought it was a rainy media event) to talk about the planter's design.

One thing that Case IH did when sourcing the planter units was to outfit its offering with several key features including a seed firmer and a nutrient drop tube. In addition, Hoeg notes the optional floating residue manager as well. "Case IH has always focused on the agronomy of good planting," Hoeg says. "We want to get the right seed to soil contact, that's why these planters have up to 500 pounds of down-pressure to penetrate packed soils and tough residue."

Here's a quick look at the twin-row planter choices:

825A3P - rigid-mounted, eight-row-wide planter (essentially 16 seeding units) with positive ground drive and a 1.6 bushel hopper for each row.

4025A3PS - A stack-folder planter with a 12-row-wide and 16-row 30-inch configurations with either an 82-bushel hopper or a customer-supplied Pro-Box.

1225A FF and 1625A FF - these front-fold planters with hydraulic seed drive are available in 12- and 16-row 30-inch configurations. They feature either an 82- or 150-bushel hopper. Option fertilizer tanks are available.

All planter models interface with the Case IH AFS700 control console.