When it comes to new planters, bigger isn’t always better or required. For today’s corn and soybean customers who require planter-applied fertilizer, a split-row configuration and narrow transport, John Deere introduces the new 1745 MaxEmerge 5 Planter.

Because of its simple design, the planter is compatible with older tractors (95 drawbar horsepower) and up. The new planter was successfully tested this past year with cooperators using a John Deere 4440 Tractor. The 1745 Planter can be quickly folded for transport, right from the cab. Once folded, it’s compact size tracks within the duals of the tractor for stable, narrow transport under 13-foot (3.9 m) high. Depending on the options chosen, customers can add as much or as little technology as they want to best fit their operation.

Ryan Hough, marketing manager, planting and seeding for John Deere said:

“1745 is an economical planter in a split-row configuration that’s capable of planting soybeans on 15-inch (38 cm) rows and corn on 30-inch (76.2 cm) rows. Customers told us they want to be able to apply dry or liquid fertilizer while planting corn, a technique that can boost yields by approximately 10 bushels per acre when compared to the conventional method of broadcasting nitrogen fertilizer. The 1745 Planter addresses these requirements. It’s simple, productive and efficient and it can be configured and equipped many ways to help customers reduce their input costs.”

When fitted with optional RowCommand individual-row control, the 1745 Planter can help customers reduce their seed costs by 4.3 percent on average compared to not using RowCommand.

Customers can choose from an 8-row, 30-inch; or a 15-row, 15-inch configuration for the 1745 Planter. Three commodity storage options are available and include 1.6- and 3-bushel row hoppers, or mini hoppers with the 50-bushel John Deere CCS central fill seed delivery system. With CCS customers can conveniently and efficiently fill the planter from one spot.

The 1745 Planter can also be fitted with the optional John Deere SeedStar XP monitoring system. This technology provides operators with detailed planter performance information and lets them easily make machine adjustments as needed for optimal efficiency.