Patent ID: 8365679

Claim:
A seed spacing monitoring system for use in an agricultural seeder for planting seeds, the agricultural seeder having a furrow opener, a seed meter for metering seeds to be dispensed in the furrow, and a furrow closer to cover the seeds in the furrow, said seed spacing monitoring system comprising: a detector supported to detect seeds in the furrow prior to the seeds being covered, said detector providing a plurality of seed presence signals, each said seed presence signal being indicative of a respective seed present in the furrow, wherein said detector comprises one of an infra-red (IR) sensor, an IR camera and an IR scanner; a speed sensor associated with said seeder and providing a speed signal indicating a ground speed of the seeder; an electrical processor receiving said plurality of seed presence signals and said speed signal, said electrical processor determining a seed spacing dependent upon said seed presence signals and said speed signal; and a seed temperature conditioner for varying a temperature of the seeds prior to being deposited in the furrow, wherein said seed temperature conditioner is a heater which elevates the temperature of the seeds above surrounding ground temperature and wherein the one of the IR sensor, the IR camera and the IR scanner detects the presence of the seeds in the furrow by sensing a temperature difference between the seeds and the surrounding ground.