Soybean sowing under great amount of intact residues of off-season maize, without cutting or incorporation of residues in highly clayey soils has discouraged the farmers to adopt no-tillage (direct planting) in Médio Paranapanema region, São Paulo State, Brazil. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of an original and a modified no-tillage planter by minimizing the straw accumulation, and to evaluate the sowing quality. The modified planter system provided less number of stops due to straw accumulation. Both planter systems showed that uncover soil frequencies and depths of seeding and furrow presented significant differences between the sowed lines. The modified planter system expressed significant difference for number of emerged plants between the sowed lines. The performance of the both planters was not satisfactory for soil revolving width and uniformity of the depth of seeding.
no tillage; agricultural machines; chisel soil opener
