Multi-Year Soybean Downforce Study

Planter row unit downforce is a common agronomic issue that often goes unaddressed. Without addressing correct downforce, the depth of planting will be inconsistent and can lead to significant yield loss.

Traditionally, growers would say to make downforce too heavy to ensure that your seed doesn’t get too shallow as you encounter variability. However, our research shows that heavy downforce leads to yield losses as well.

When downforce matches field conditions, the depth of planting is consistent and correct. Too light of row unit downforce causes planting depth to shallow up, potentially placing seed in dry soil, creating poorly rooted plants that struggle for water and nutrients. Conversely, too much downforce can lead to furrow side-wall compaction, also creating an environment that can cause limited plant access to water and nutrients.

In the past four years, our research shows that too little downforce had an average loss of 2.33 Bu/A whereas too much downforce had an average loss of 1.25 Bu/A. If you take this year’s soybean price of $13.09/A, that’s a potential loss between $17.54/A to $29.06/A. On a 1,000-acre field, that’s an economic loss of up to $29,000!

There will always be variability in your field, which is why it is important to have a solution that ensures your downforce is neither too light or too heavy. DeltaForce is an automated row-by-row downforce control system that measures and adjusts downforce every time there is variability in your field, so your crops will thrive for optimal yields. When one row encounters conditions different than another (wheel tracks, old roadbeds, clay knobs, headlands, etc.), each will adjust independently. Row by row, foot by foot, even seed by seed an environment that fosters uniform germination, optimum growth and maximum yield can be produced.

Soybean Downforce Study Results

In-Depth Study Videos

Study Details 

Study data collected 2019-2023 at the PTI Farm in Pontiac, IL.