Deere's Big Equipment Launch

John Deere Reveals Biggest Equipment, Technology Launch Ever

Dan Miller
By  Dan Miller , Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
Deere introduces its first commercial application of See & Spray technology. Designed to treat individual weeds, See & Spray is said to consistently hit weeds as small as 1/4 inch in diameter in fallow field applications. (Photo courtesy of John Deere)

John Deere is announcing Tuesday its largest-ever launch of new equipment and technology.

With that, Deere is making public its first commercial application of See & Spray technology. See & Spray Select mounts 36 cameras across the 120-foot booms of Deere's new 400 and 600 series sprayers to detect and treat weeds as small as 1/4 inch in diameter in the time it takes to blink an eye.

Deere is also announcing major updates to the capabilities of its two largest tractors. The four-track 8RX, for example, can now mount 1,000 gallons of new fertilizing capacity by way of factory-installed tractor tanks mounted over the rear tracks.

Here's a summary of the new technologies and equipment Deere is rolling out Tuesday.

SEE AND SPRAY WITH ... 'SEE & SPRAY'

John Deere's See & Spray Select product is the first commercial spraying system of its type. See & Spray Select uses camera technology to detect color differentiation in the field. Initially, Deere is marketing the system to small-grains farmers who manage weed pressure on fallow acres as part of a regular rotation. That includes U.S. regions east of the Rockies and in the Northwest.

In its current state of development, the 36 forward-looking cameras of See & Spray Select distinguish brown (soil) from green (weeds as small at 1/4-inch diameter in a fallow field). Treating pigweed in a row-crop application is more challenging. But Deere is clear that this first version of the See & Spray application will be followed by increasingly sophisticated products designed to target weeds in corn, soybean and cotton environments, in both pre- and post-emerge applications.

The process is fairly remarkable. Forward-facing cameras detect weeds, and a processor activates the correct nozzle for treatment. See & Spray analyzes 2,112 square feet per second from a sprayer moving at 12 miles per hour. The entire process, from target detection to application, occurs in 200 milliseconds -- about the blink of an eye.

Deere says See & Spray Select has a similar hit rate to broadcast spraying while applying 77% less herbicide on average.

See & Spray is built onto the foundation of Deere's ExactApply technology introduced in 2017. Its new 400 and 600 Series sprayers equipped with See & Spray Select are the only factory-built solutions enabling farmers to operate both a spot-spray and a broadcast machine in one unit.

See & Spray Select can be ordered beginning later this summer.

THE UPDATED 8

John Deere has given new capacity to its 8 Series tractors for model year 2022. The 8 Series of tractors includes the wheeled 8R, two-track 8RT and four-track 8RX.

One novel innovation gives farmers the ability to apply higher rates of fertilizer while planting and covers up to 80 acres between fills (at 20 gallons per acre). This is a capacity born from 1,000-gallon capacity ExactRate Tractor Tanks and a John Deere planter with 600-gallon tanks. With tracks also mounted onto the planter, total ground pressure is maintained under 15 psi.

The tanks and plumbing are factory installed. Mounted above the rear tracks, the tanks do not increase the width of the tractor or inhibit line of site.

A second new option, this one for 8R tractors equipped with independent link suspension, is a central tire inflation system (CTIS). CTIS automates the job of inflating and deflating tires given a tractor's particular task -- for example, road travel versus tillage. When the operator chooses "road" setting, CTIS increases air pressure for smoother travel. When the "field" setting is chosen, CTIS decreases air pressure to create a larger footprint to reduce slip and ground pressure.

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All 8 Series tractors come factory equipped with JDLink connectivity, StarFire 6000 GPS receiver, Generation 4 CommandCenter display, AutoTrac guidance and Automation 4.0 capabilities.

Automation 4.0 has an interesting capability called AutoPath. It allows farmers to collect data from the season's first field pass (strip-till, planting) to establish guidance lines for all other field passes in a year, no matter the machine type or width of the equipment.

Wheel 8R tractors are available in seven models, ranging from 230 to 410 horsepower. Four models of two-track 8RT tractors are offered from 310 to 410 horsepower. Four-track 8RX tractors are available from 310 to 410 horsepower.

Model year 2022 8 Series updates will be available to order later this spring.

PLANTER FOR DISTANCE

Deere's model year 2022 1775NT planter includes factory-installed fluid tanks holding up to 600 gallons (it's the planter half of the 8RX tracked tractor and planting system). The ExactRate, fluid-transfer-equipped planter, paired with ExactRate tanks on an 8RX tractor, provides 1,600 gallons of capacity.

Deere calls it the full integration of the tractor and planter system, estimating 80 acres between tenders at 20 gallons per acre.

To keep up with fertilizer capacity, Deere increased seed capacity on the 1775NT by 30% to 130 bushels.

The 1775NT planter can be ordered with factory-installed tracks to reduce ground pressure up to 73% (when fully loaded) to 13.3 psi. When half filled, these track-equipped planters can maintain a transport speed of up to 20 mph for up to two hours.

Model year 2022 John Deere planters can be ordered beginning later this summer.

SPRAYERS WITH COMFORT

Deere announced Tuesday new 400 and 600 Series Sprayers.

The sprayer series features new and larger cabs. In its descriptions of these sprayers, Deere leads with comfort. There are three comfort and convenience packages. The ultimate package, for example, includes a heated, ventilated leather seat that swivels 24 degrees to the left or right, plus ActiveSeat II suspension for super-smooth ride. The ultimate package also includes a 6.5-inch touchscreen satellite- and smartphone-ready radio, five USB ports, 12-volt outlet and refrigerator. The cab's optional Category IV filtration system flows continuously filtered air into the cab.

Three models of 400 Series Sprayers are available: 408R (800-gallon tank, 280-hp PowerTech 6.8 L engine); 410R (1,000-gallon tank, 310-hp PowerTech 9.0 L engine); and 412R (1,200-gallon tank, 326-hp PowerTech 9.0 L engine). There are two 600 Series sprayers: 612R (1,200-gallon tank, a 355-hp PowerTech 9.0 L engine); and 616R (1,600-gallon tank, 375-hp PowerTech engine).

The 400 and 600 Series sprayers will be available for ordering in June.

MEET THE HAGIE

Deere is offering an all-new lineup of Hagie self-propelled sprayers for model year 2022 -- the STS12, STS16, and STS20.

The front boom placement on the STS sprayer reduces the need for operators to constantly turn and look behind the machine during application. STS sprayers have up to 76 inches of underframe clearance to minimize crop disturbance. STS sprayers feature all-wheel-steer technology that keeps the tires in the same set of tracks, reducing the potential for crop damage, even when making 90-degree headland turns.

Three tank sizes are available. The largest is the new 2,000-gallon tank for the STS20. The STS sprayer offers four sizes of Hagie Hybrid Booms in working widths of 90, 100, 120 and 132 feet.

Each STS sprayer is equipped with a John Deere Powertech 9.0 L engine (300-hp STS12, 400-hp STS16, 400-hp STS20). Hagies can reach speeds of up to 25 mph in the field.

Hagie STS sprayers will be available for ordering in June.

BEEFIER SERIES 9

Deere is updating its 2022 John Deere 9 Series tractors. The series includes the wheeled 9R, two-track 9RT and four-track 9RX.

To accommodate the added horsepower and ballast of the articulated 9 Series tractors, several undercarriage, axle and front-frame components were strengthened. That design work increased the weight of the tractor and the maximum available ballast from 60,000 to 67,000 pounds.

Select 9 Series tractors can be ordered with hydraulic intelligent power management (IPM) that provides up to 50 extra horsepower when pulling equipment over tough terrain and over large hills. Hydraulic IPM is available on the 9RT 570, and 9R/9RX 590 and 640 tractors.

Restyled 9 Series cabs have more storage, more USB ports and improved connectivity. The ultimate comfort and convenience package, for example, includes footrests, a refrigerator and a heated, ventilated massaging seat that swivels up to 25 degrees to the left and 40 degrees to the right.

There are six 9R tractor models, ranging from 390 to 640 horsepower; three two-track 9RT models have engines producing 470 to 570 horsepower; four 9RX four-track tractors boast 490 to 640 horsepower. Deere's PowerTech 13.6 L diesel engine powers models with 390 to 590 horsepower. The 9R 640 and 9RX 640 are powered by a Cummins 15 L diesel engine.

BETTER AIR SEEDING

For model year 2022, Deere is adding its RelativeFlow blockage-detection system to all of its air seeding tools. The detection system helps farmers make sure product is being accurately and uniformly distributed.

TruSet in-cab downforce adjustment and new quick-change blades also are being offered for all model year 2022 John Deere no-till air seeding tools. TruSet eliminates the need for manual downforce adjustments. Quick-change blades reduce the time it takes to change opener blades by up to 45% compared to current ProSeries opener blades.

For more information about air seeding tools and the other John Deere equipment described here, watch for updates at: www.deere.com.

Dan Miller can be reached at dan.miller@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @DMillerPF

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Dan Miller