John Deere’s latest upgrades aim to enhance planting productivity via two new meter upgrade kits. The MaxEmerge 5e and ExactEmerge meter upgrades let farmers update their planter’s meters without replacing the entire row unit.
“We’re taking the existing meter and adding an electric motor,” says Taryn Fischels, who works in marketing at John Deere. “You can keep your existing row unit, and upgrade at a lower cost and investment.”
The two upgrade kits are designed for different types of planters:
ExactEmerge Meter Upgrade Kit. It converts 2015 or newer MaxEmerge and MaxEmerge 5e planters to John Deere’s ExactEmerge planting system, with top speeds up to 10 mph. Its BrushBelt seed delivery system works with metering technology to gently and precisely deliver seed at the bottom of the trench, with no bouncing or rolling. It’s advertised as an economic retrofit solution to speed up planting and maximize yield.
MaxEmerge 5e Meter Upgrade Kit. It works with 2015 and newer MaxEmerge 5 planters, replacing the mechanical-drive system with an electric meter. The updates tie into an in-cab seed monitoring system to equip farmers with variable-rate prescriptions and individual row shutoffs. It can also reduce maintenance requirements when compared to a typical mechanical-drive system. The retrofit system uses a seed tube to deliver seed to the trench and an active downforce system — either active pneumatic or individual row hydraulic downforce (IRHD) — for consistent seed placement with uniform depth.
“The new precision upgrades are significant as they allow farmers the ability to enhance their planting technology without the need to invest in an entirely new row unit,” says Kyle Barry, precision upgrade marketing manager at John Deere. “The advanced features this upgrade provides farmers helps them improve their planting efficiency, reduce seed waste and increase overall productivity.”
John Deere is also offering a complete factory row replacement for 2005 and newer planters. Added features include ExactEmerge or MaxEmerge 5e electric meters, IRHD and active pneumatic downforce, standard or spoked gauge wheels, and SeedStar 5 monitoring.
Other available planter upgrades include John Deere’s ExactRate or ExactShot liquid fertilizer system, ExactChem granular insecticide, easy-adjust pneumatic row cleaners or pneumatic closing wheels. For more information, visit deere.com.