The Problem
Many John Deere drills and air-seeders struggle to keep seeds in the seed slot. This becomes an even greater problem in no-till fields with heavy residue, surface undulations (such as previous wheel tracks) and especially when operating at higher speeds. While these concerns are more pronounced with air-seeders (because they can blow seeds out of the seed slot), it can also happen with no-till drills like 750/1590.
Factory seed tabs quickly wear and lose their down force. When this happens the seal above the seed slot is lost and many seeds can either bounce out of the seed slot or be blown out of the seed slot with an air-seeder (especially when the units bounce over heavy residue or when working at higher speeds).
These images illustrate a soybean seed being blown out of the seed slot when the factory seed tab does not provide an adequate seal.
The Solution
After observing the problem for a number of years, we finally have a solution. The new product helps prevent seeds bouncing out of the seed slot, plus it pushes seeds down into the bottom of the seed slot, to improve the performance of the seed firming wheel. It’s a heavy duty seed tab we call Bonila and its made from UHMW Quartz, a highly wear resistant flexible poly material which offers long life. It quickly installs on the John Deere 50 and 90 series seed boots, the same way as the factory seed tab and uses the same mounting bolt.
When field testing the Bonila seed tabs alongside factory seed tabs we quickly observed a difference in the number of seeds retained in the seed slot. We have also found the Bonila wear characteristics are significantly less compared to the factory seed tabs as a result of the greater thickness and durability characteristics incorporated into the design.
The Bonila seed tab has a 7o angle (compared to the factory tabs which are straight). This angle allows the Bonila to better follow the seed slot behind the boot and help reduce wear over time. The Bonila seed tab also provide greater down force as a result of their thicker material. Both principles help maintain a better seal which in turn helps reduce seeds bouncing or blowing out of the seed slot, even within heavy residue no-till conditions.