Attachment 1 Specifications 24Q0300.pdf

SPECIFICATIONS

John Deere 1730 Planter Upgrades

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.0 Scope of Work. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Management

Research in Morris, MN. has requirement to upgrade the existing John Deere 1730 4-row planter. This upgrade is to add 1) hydraulic downforce to each planter unit to improve the consistency of seeding depth, 2) electrically driven planter units to improve seed spacing, enable variable rate planting, and increase the diversity of crops that may be planted with the planter, 3) install seed firmers in each row, at least one of which will be equipped with a sensor to collect soil temperature, moisture, conductivity, and organic matter, and 4) a command module and display to adjust and monitor the planter from the tractor cab. These upgrades would make the planter consistent with commercial no-tillage planters being sold today, making the research more pertinent to current practices. The addition of the sensor would also provide covariates that may be used to explain soil variation and treatment responses across space and time.

2.0 Background. The USDA-ARS Swan Lake Research Farm uses a John Deere 1730 4-row planter to plant corn, soybean and specialty crops. This planter was originally designed for use in conventional tillage environments. A primary mission of the North Central Soil

Conservation Research Lab (NCSCRL, “Soils lab”) is to develop reduced and no-tillage cropping systems.

In early 2024 we began the process of upgrading the planter to improve its utility for planting in no-tillage environments and the reliability of the research it was used to conduct. In the first upgrade we added improved row-cleaning units to push aside crop residue, and spiked closing wheels to improve furrow closure and seed-to-soil contact.

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

3.0 Technical Requirements/Tasks. To be determined technically acceptable the quote shall meet or exceed the following requirements:

3.1 Provide appropriate variable rate electrically driven planter units with all necessary hardware for corn, soybeans, canola, sugar beets and sunflowers. The units must be controllable from the command module. This must be compatible with the John

Deere vacuum system on the John Deere 1730 planter.

3.2 Provide hydraulic downforce cylinders, hoses and fittings, and wiring to provide adjustable downforce control on individual planting units, compatible with a John

Deere 1730 planter.

3.3 Provide seed trench seed firmer for each row unit. At least one firmer should be equipped with sensers which can collect soil temperature, moisture and organic matter. This data needs to be collected in the command module.

Specifications

12505B24Q0300

John Deere 1730 Planter Upgrades

3.4 Provide the appropriate command module, display, mounts, wiring, hardware, and software to adjust and monitor the planting process from the tractor cab.

3.5 Provide onsite training to operate the system.

4.0 Deliverables / Schedule. Delivery to be made before April 10, 2025, for use in the 2025 planting/growing season. Equipment should be delivered to:

USDA-ARS

North Central Soil Conservation Research Lab

803 Iowa Ave

Morris, MN 56267