Method and means for planting field seeds in rows with different varieties of seeds

Abstract

A method of planting field seeds in rows with different varieties of seeds involves determining the variety of the seeds to be planted; placing the seeds for rows of predetermined length in different groups in elongated cell pack strips for each variety, with each cell pack strip including individual cells with individual seeds. A plurality of subgroups of cell pack strips are selected sequentially from the groups of cell pack strips in chronological order that they are to be planted in a single row in a field. The subgroups are then placed in magazines to maintain the order of the subgroups for the subsequent planting. The locations in a field are determined where the varieties are to be planted. The magazines are mounted on a field row planter with the magazines being associated with rows in the field to which the respective magazines correspond. The planter is moved longitudinally through the field. The cell pack strips are sequentially and chronologically selected from the magazines containing the seeds to be planted. The cells of the cell pack strip are sequentially broken in the order in which the seeds in each cell pack strip are to be planted to release the seeds from the cells. The released seeds are deposited from each cell to the soil in the row in which the magazine from when it emanated was associated. An individual electronic bar code is placed on each cell pack to indicate the variety of the seed in the seed pack intended for planting in a row in the field. The bar codes are electrically scanned and compared electronically to a row blueprint of the field to be planted when the magazines are mounted on the field row planter to verify that the seeds in the magazines are consistent with the row blueprint. An apparatus for planting the seeds from the cell pack is provided.