John Deere Unveils 2026 Technologies With Sprayer, Planter, Combine Automation and Tillage Autonomy

John Deere is introducing its 2026 lineup of advanced technologies, featuring updates to planters and sprayers, enhanced automation for combines and next-generation autonomy for tillage, all designed to improve efficiency and boost yields. 

These innovations are designed to increase productivity, reduce labor demands and enhance operational efficiency across diverse farming conditions.

Sprayer Lineup Updates

John Deere’s latest sprayer updates include advancements to its See & Spray technology, AutoTrac systems and ExactApply features, all aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of crop management.

The See & Spray Select technology now includes variable rate capabilities, offering farmers precise control over late-season fungicide and desiccant applications.

This system detects biomass through cameras, allowing the farmer to apply product based on the amount of green biomass in the field. See & Spray Select will be available on 2026 John Deere 400 and 600 series sprayers and can also be retrofitted on 2018 and newer models with ExactApply and a 120-feet steel boom.

In addition, See & Spray Premium has expanded to include new boom sizes and is now available for Hagie STS20 sprayers.

AutoTrac System Enhancements

John Deere’s AutoTrac Turn Automation (ATTA) is now available on both John Deere and Hagie sprayers, helping ensure consistent and accurate turns while reducing crop trampling.

This technology is compatible with John Deere 400 and 600 series sprayers and Hagie STS models from 2022 and newer. ATTA helps sprayer operators focus on other tasks, such as adjusting boom height and machine speed, by automating turns at the end of each field pass.

Further enhancing precision, AutoTrac Vision 2.0 ensures sprayer wheels remain centered within rows, minimizing crop damage and enhancing yields. The system is designed for faster spraying speeds and can operate on a maximum slope of 6 degrees while navigating curves with a radius as small as 50 meters (164 feet). It is available on 2026 John Deere sprayers as a factory option.

ExactApply Technology Updates

John Deere has also introduced new ExactApply Variable Rate capabilities, including Multi-Rate across the boom, which enables operators to vary application rates across up to 11 sections.

This feature allows for more precise product placement, improving the efficiency of the spraying process. The new capabilities will be available as a software update for 2023-2025 sprayers, with 2026 models featuring the updated software as a factory install.

Planter Technology Innovations

In addition to sprayer updates, John Deere has introduced new planter technologies designed to optimize planting efficiency, particularly during tight windows due to weather and other conditions.

Seed-Level Sensing provides real-time data on seed tank volume, reducing the need for manual checks and helping farmers manage seed refills more efficiently. The system will be available on 2026 planters or as a precision upgrade for 2022 and newer models.

Similarly, Fertilizer-Level Sensing improves planting logistics by providing accurate fertilizer volume data. This feature eliminates the need for manual input of liquid density and provides real-time tank volume information in the cab, available on 2026 planters and as a retrofit for 2022 and newer models.

To further enhance seed placement, Active Vacuum Automation has been added to 2026 planters equipped with electric drives and the SeedStar 5 Monitoring System. This feature automatically adjusts the vacuum to optimize seed singulation, reducing skips and doubles and minimizing operator intervention.

“By working closely with farmers and dealers, we’ve identified solutions that help farmers keep planting efficiently,” Anthony Styczinski, product marketing manager at John Deere said.

“These updates support the most critical part of the farming cycle, ensuring crops get off to an optimal start.”

These innovations are designed to not only enhance productivity but also reduce input costs and improve overall crop yields, providing farmers with valuable tools for the upcoming season.

Advanced Automation and Productivity Enhancements for 2026 Combines

For the model year 2026 combines, John Deere introduced a series of automation and productivity updates aimed at improving operational efficiency and ease of use in a variety of harvesting conditions. These updates include:

Harvest Automation Updates

• Predictive Ground Speed Automation: Utilizes stereo cameras and satellite views to adjust the combine’s ground speed based on crop height, variability and weed detection, providing a smoother harvesting experience.
• Harvest Settings Automation: Automatically adjusts concave clearance, fan speed, rotor speed and sieve settings based on crop type and geolocation. The new out-of-crop settings adjustment reduces grain loss and maintains a cleaner tank sample in sparse field areas.

Productivity Enhancements

• AutoTrac Turn Automation: Now includes automatic head-raising and lowering for true hands-free turning, reducing the likelihood of missed crops or incorrect pass starts, especially during nighttime harvesting.
• Auto-Unload Camera: Mounted on the auger, it senses grain fill levels inside the cart, automating nudge commands to evenly fill the cart and reduce in-field spills.

Operational Insights and Connectivity

• Operations Center Updates: Provide real-time insights into grain weight and crop conditions, allowing for more efficient in-field decision-making.
• JDLink Boost: Ensures reliable field data capture and real-time machine connectivity, even in areas with limited cellular coverage.

Meeting Farmer Needs With Enhanced Technology

Bergen Nelson, John Deere’s market manager for harvesting equipment, emphasized the role of customer feedback in driving these innovations: “These new updates are designed with farmer input to help unlock the full potential of the John Deere combine. From improving the grain-unloading experience to solutions that help increase the combine working time, these updates are designed to help farmers work in those often-tight harvest windows.”

Autonomy in Tillage With Next-Generation Perception System

John Deere’s new perception system is an autonomy precision upgrade kit for select tractors, available for model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors, as well as model year 2020.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors.

Additionally, select model year 2025 tractors will be autonomy-ready from the factory.

This system includes 16 cameras mounted on the tractor cab roof, providing a 360-degree view around the tractor and tillage tool. It integrates seamlessly with John Deere’s existing precision ag technologies, including AutoPath, AutoTrac Turn Automation and its Operations Center Mobile.

Precision upgrade kits are also available for 2017, and newer John Deere tillage implements, enhancing them with lighting, StarFire receiver mast and harnessing.

Christopher Murray, John Deere’s market manager for embedded technology, highlighted the benefits of autonomy for farmers, stating, “Autonomy helps farmers hit their ideal operating window by extending their working day and freeing up labor so they can complete additional tasks, particularly during busy times of the year. Whether they need to get to planting in the spring or tillage after harvest, having an autonomous option helps allocate labor to higher-value tasks.”