New Carrotech Planter Row Unit Transforms Precision Planting at Baynesfield Estates

BAYNESFIELD ESTATES, KWAZULU-NATAL — The implementation of the new Carrotech planter row unit at Baynesfield Estates is marking a significant shift in precision agriculture, offering tailored solutions for challenging local soil conditions. During a recent technical discussion, Baynesfield Estates spokespersons Darrin Manser and Duncan Morphew detailed how this specialized, South African-built equipment is optimizing their semi-no-till farming system, ensuring superior seed placement, and minimizing soil disturbance.

Scaling a Diverse Farming Operation
Baynesfield Estates operates a robust and diverse agricultural enterprise, running 36,000 pigs alongside extensive crop production. The farm cultivates just over 1,300 hectares of maize and between 240 and 250 hectares of soybeans. According to Morphew, the operation has successfully transitioned toward a semi-no-till system, a change that required specialized equipment to handle the region’s heavy, wet clay soils and high-trash conditions.

Overcoming Heavy Clay with Innovative Gauge Wheel Design
One of the most critical adaptations on the new Carrotech row unit is the gauge wheel design. In heavy, wet clay, standard European or American row units often suffer from mud packing between the gauge wheel and the coulter, causing the unit to jam.

To solve this, the Carrotech unit allows the gauge wheels to be run slightly off the seed coulter, providing space for trash buildup while still utilizing a coulter scraper. In drier conditions, the wheels can be moved closer to the coulter to firm the ground and ensure a clean “V” cut in the furrow, which guides the seed perfectly into place.

Furthermore, the gauge wheels on this unit are pulled rather than pushed. Morphew compares the mechanics to pulling a wheelbarrow versus pushing it; pulling reduces resistance over soft or wet soil, significantly decreasing clay buildup and preventing damage if the wheel strikes a rock. An integrated scraper at the correct angle ensures the wheels remain clean in the toughest conditions.

Robust South African Engineering and Downforce Control
While the row unit retains the highly accurate, stock-standard Monosem metering mechanism, the body and linkage have been heavily reinforced for South African conditions. The unit features a much thicker, welded body and a strong, short, wide parallel linkage. This robust linkage is crucial for maintaining a strict 50mm distance between the seed and fertilizer placement, mitigating the high risk of seed damage from fertilizer proximity. It also provides greater vertical travel, preventing seeds from being planted too deep over ridges or dropping onto the surface.

For depth consistency, the unit utilizes a single spring downforce system (with the option to add a second spring for heavier demands) paired with the Monoshox damping system. Morphew emphasizes that the Monoshox is a game-changer: it acts as a damper to stop the row unit from bouncing, which is the true cause of depth inconsistency. This allows farmers to achieve perfect seed depth with minimal downforce and weight, preventing harmful sidewall compaction.

Electronic Precision and Targeted Chemical Application
Moving away from mechanical drives, Baynesfield Estates opted for an electronic planting system integrated with JD Link and Müller monitors. This upgrade guarantees pinpoint accuracy, allowing the team to count bags precisely and ensure that the targeted planting population is achieved exactly as planned.

The electronic system also manages variable rate applications. Fertilizer and seed are split and controlled per individual row unit. Additionally, the farm utilizes a 600-liter tank to apply pre-emergent herbicides at a rate of 100 liters per hectare. By spraying the pre-emergent directly behind the closing wheels, the chemical achieves immediate and optimal soil contact, which has proven highly effective for cutworm control and overall pre-emergence performance.

Perfecting Furrow Closure for Consistent Germination
The final critical step in the planting process is closing the furrow, and the Carrotech unit excels here with its new adjustable closing wheels. The system features individual “tow-in” and “tow-out” adjustments, allowing operators to change the wheel angle to suit everything from soft sandy soils to hard clays. The wheels can also be run with independent downforce to help clear roots or debris.

Unlike conventional 25mm rubber closing wheels that apply force primarily to the top of the sidewalls, these new hard steel “bore-on” closing wheels feature a superior attack angle. They apply downforce from both the top and the sidewall, effectively eliminating air pockets in the furrow. This ensures perfect seed-to-soil contact, resulting in quicker, more uniform, and highly consistent germination across all rows.

Through these targeted mechanical and electronic upgrades, the Carrotech planter row unit is proving to be an invaluable asset for Baynesfield Estates, combining precision, reliability, and minimal soil disturbance to maximize crop yields in demanding environments.