Some anecdotal evidence indicates that as many as half of all corn planters still operating today may be equipped with two solid rubber closing wheels per row. If that describes your planter, says Jason Gahimer, manager of Beck’s Practical Farm Research, it’s time to make a change.

“Our work at multiple locations over multiple years shows that anything we try will outperform solid rubber closing wheels and result in higher yields,” Gahimer says. “In years like 2020, where planting conditions are near ideal, the yield advantage isn’t as great. But over time, there is a definite advantage for using other options. Solid rubber wheels tend to create sidewall soil compaction if soils are on the heavy side.”

Beck’s has studied various types of spiked wheels and closing wheels of all sorts, often under less than ideal conditions on purpose, Gahimer notes. There are dozens of types of bolt-on style closing wheels to choose from. Any of them can replace solid rubber closing wheels.

Recently, Beck’s studied two new closing wheel systems that replace traditional closing wheels and even the closing wheel assembly. They have seen good results with both, Gahimer says. FastTrac from Ag Focus holds a 2.4 bushel per acre advantage in corn in Beck’s PFR studies over three years at multiple locations, and 1.0 bushels per acre in soybeans when compared to a standard tail-wheel closing system. FastTrac is billed as a two-stage, advanced closing wheel system. See: agfocus.com.

Beck’s also tested Furrow Force from Precision Planting in 2020 with impressive results, Gahimer says. It utilizes a two-stage system as well, plus downforce on the unit. Their best results came when running Furrow Force with fully automatic downforce, Gahimer reports. Learn more at precisionplanting.com.

“Remember, we are working in small plots,” he says. “I would expect larger advantages for these systems in field-scale trials where conditions are more variable.”