Rural
4 August, 2026
Avoid the dread of viewing seeding misses at harvest
Seeding system blockages hurt at seeding time, causing unnecessary downtime and expense, and hurt even more when you view the results of seeding misses on the harvester.
Even a slight disruption to achieving maximum flow means less-than-optimum production, which is frustrating when the terms of trade can put a premium on every last grain.
Growers want to know that their selected product rates are being applied and that their seed and fertilisers are always being sown simultaneously.
Latest blockage and flow monitoring technology is alleviating these concerns and providing growers with peace of mind for their seeding operations – and for when they hop on the header later.
The Recon Wireless Blockage and Flow Monitor, available through Farmscan and on display at Brad Petschel’s Auto Elec site at the Mallee Machinery Field Days at Speed, features patented acoustic sensors that are highly durable and instantly detect blockages or reduced seed flow anywhere on seeding implements.
Multiple sensor options allow the system to easily adapt to nearly any rig or application, and the software is compatible with iPads, providing a user-friendly interface that displays all manifold runs and gives an audible alert if a run becomes blocked.
Cove Station in the West Wimmera was an early adopter of wireless blockage monitoring, and with the latest Recon system going even further to ensure evenness of seed and fertiliser application, Simon Finlayson from Cove Station considered it a “no-brainer” for seeding.
The Recon system was previously used on a Flexi-Coil seeding rig on the properties, and last season one of the latest systems was installed on a 16.8-metre (56-foot) John Deere 1870 ConservaPak, hitched to a John Deere 1910 triple bin airseeder and pulled by a Case IH STX Steiger tractor.
The blockage monitor sensors are set up on every seed and fertiliser hose across the bar.
“There’s a bit going on across the bar.
"It’s like a Swiss army knife, and you need manuals for operators, but the blockage system is pretty straightforward, and there’s no rocket science with installing it – you can do it yourself,” Simon said.
“Before we started with blockage monitoring, we had the same story as every other grower with airseeders.
"We would see sections missing in crops, and you would be dragging the rig out later to tidy up areas.”
He said they already had confidence with the Recon Wireless Blockage and Flow Monitor and the latest system had again demonstrated its reliability this season.
“It definitely reminded us of its value, particularly with the ability to see every run and the flow percentages between each head.
"It can show the difference in the mean between the heads, and that’s handy to have – to know you are getting evenness across the board.
" I don’t know that other systems have that," he said.
“You will also find things you have never seen before.
"It shows a solid, full blockage, but it will also show if something is not quite right and you can check it.
"It picks it up immediately and then you can take a look perhaps at the next tree in the working or end of the run if it’s not too long.”
Simon expected the return on investment for growers with the Recon Wireless Blockage and Flow Monitor would be pretty quick depending upon the size of cropping operations.
The cropping program at Cove Station has grown by about one-third in recent times and, hence, the monitoring has proved well worthwhile; however, Simon said it would still be economical for smaller rigs and programs.
“You are still only using one module per head that monitors the seed and fertiliser head side-by-side, so you could have a little seeder with two heads and modules.
"You could monitor every single hose over 30ft (9m), and it’s just based on the sensors you use, so it can be affordable,” he said.