Farm Industry News gives a first look at GPS-based planter controls.

John Deere’s Swath Control Pro provides GPS-based boom section control for sprayers. Now John Deere is testing a Swath Control Pro system for planters to help farmers save seed costs. “Leveraging the technology from our GreenStar 2 [GS2] Rate Controller, we are currently developing a new system to turn planter sections on and off according to GPS coverage,” says Kayla Reynolds, manager for John Deere Ag Management Solutions. “This system will work automatically to help growers minimize double planting in headland and other areas of odd-shaped fields.”

Deere has partnered with Tru Count Inc., which developed a system of row-unit air clutches that allow individual planter units to engage or disengage. With the GS2 Rate Controller, up to 16 sections of the planter can be controlled automatically.

The system will be available for purchase in time for the 2008 planting season.