What can the latest launches from the world of drilling technology provide growers who operate flexible management systems? CPM takes a look at some of the recent market introductions.
“We wanted a drill we could use later into the autumn without the risk of being held up by weather conditions.” – KRIS GRZELAK
By Melanie Jenkins
Manufacturers are constantly looking to innovate drilling technology to help growers achieve the best establishment possible. But with drilling windows shrinking, versatility and flexibility are some of the key traits among the latest launches.
BEDNAR
Bednar has released two new products to its portfolio: the Katara KN_S and Corsa CN 6000. The Katara is the firm’s first venture into a power harrow drill combination. Currently, the machine is available in a folding format with a front tank, but later in the year there’ll be rigid 3m and 4m options.
The dual-front tank has two hoppers and metering units, tailored to customers looking to include cover cropping in their system, as well as those wanting to drill seed and fertiliser simultaneously, explains the firm’s Adrian Winnett.
The firm’s also released its new 6m Corsa mounted seed bar. Providing high coulter pressure, it has the capacity to travel in more challenging conditions. The machine has twin-disc seed coulters and two inter-row spacing options of 12.5cm or 16.7cm.
“Although the machine isn’t sold as a direct drill, it can provide up to 140kg of coulter pressure making it versatile and suited to variable weather conditions,” explains Adrian.
Both drills now come with Bednar’s Farm Link software – which Adrian says is the simplest calibration system available. “The drills are Wi-Fi compatible and can be paired with your phone where you can use the Farm Link app to calibrate the drill. The drill can also be emptied this way and rather than emptying onto the floor, seed and fertiliser can be blown back into bags in minutes.”
HORSCH
Horsch has announced a new model in the Avatar drill family, offering increased capacity and the ability to deliver up to four separate components.
The Avatar 12.25 LC comes as standard with a 9400-litre triple tank that’s split 50:15:35. In addition, a Horsch MiniDrill with a 400-litre capacity can also be mounted to the machine. Available as a 12m model only, the Avatar LC offers a 3000-litre increase over the 12m Avatar SD.
The seed wagon layout increases the drilling window whereas the large tyre widths reduce compaction even in wet soil conditions. The double support wheels at the wings ensure low tracks and optimum adaption to the soil.
With its one-row design of SingleDisc coulters and a row spacing of 25cm, the Avatar 12.25 LC is best suited for mechanical population control and for different sowing methods such as direct seeding, mulch seeding and into standing catch crops.
Due to its folding design, the transport dimensions are compact with an outside width of 3m for road transport.
It can be used universally from direct drilling to cultivated soils; the high coulter pressure of up to 350kg per individual row and maintenance-free bearings ensure a reliable and effective performance. Depth control at the individual coulter and adjustable closing wheels result in precision drilling in a wide range of conditions.
The Avatar SD is available from 3-8m working widths with a 16cm row spacing, and 8-18m with a 25cm row spacing. The Avatar SL is a 6m mounted model with 25cm or 30cm row spacing that operates in combination with the Horsch Partner FT front tank.
KUHN
Kuhn has launched a dual seed and fertiliser front tank to its existing range, offering growers greater flexibility for establishment using different toolbars and the option to apply nutrition in the same pass.
The new pressurised TF 2300C features a 2360-litre tank with a 60/40 split for seed and fertiliser and joins the current TF 1512 front tank in the Kuhn range.
Kuhn’s Edd Fanshawe explains that changing farming practices and shorter weather windows highlight the benefits of a front tank. “Our TF range can be used with a wide variety of implements from dedicated drills to cultivators with seeding kits. Growers require versatility to adapt to changing conditions and front tanks allow this while retaining output capacity.”
The TF 2300C features Kuhn’s Optiseed metering unit with interchangeable cassettes and a pressurised hopper, allowing distribution rates up to 500kg/ha at 15km/h. The two hoppers are individually dosed and can be mixed into the same delivery tube, or kept separate, depending on the machine and crop. Agitators are standard to help fertiliser flow and the cassettes are simple to change via a handle locking mechanism with an external calibration button to simplify the process.
Users can choose a carrying frame or optional front packer featuring four 822mm diameter tyres to reduce the weight carried on the front linkage and improve consolidation. Machine control is via ISOBUS terminals VTI 60, CCI 800 or 1200, or using the tractor’s compatible display. The hopper features automatic switching at the start and end of runs via GPS, variable rate application based on prescription maps, and data transfer using agrirouter.
“Applying seed and fertiliser in one pass not only reduces passes, but places nutrition in the right place to provide the crop with its best start. This new TF 2300C offers users greater possibilities and flexibility to achieve establishment in the best conditions,” says Edd.
The firm has also updated its popular Espro trailed drills featuring a redesigned operator platform, a new straight disc option, and a lighter version of the 6m model.
The updates focus on the 3-6m models with the 3002 (3m), 4002 (4m) fixed, and 4002 R and 6002 R (6m) folding units, introduced as upgrades to the existing 3000, 4000 and 6000 drills. The new models will begin production in spring 2025, and Edd says the upgrades will be welcomed by new and existing users.
“The Espro is growing in popularity and has many features to improve seed placement and consistency in tricky conditions. Wheel design and layout, headland turn customisation, and Vistaflow valves, are all qualities which highlight how versatile and accurate the drill is.”
Hopper access and operator safety has been improved with a new mid-height platform that spans the full length of the hopper and automatically folds when the drill returns to transport mode. This prevents overreaching to split bags and allows full visibility into the hopper. A half open mode – one side of the drill folded while the other remaining in work position – improves loader access to the hopper for filling. A new hopper cover has an automatic winding and locking system.
A straight disc option, suited to users reducing soil disturbance across each pass, can replace the standard 460mm concave notched discs. The straight disc ensures soil is only moved in the narrow band where the disc runs, helping to reduce power requirements of the drill along with preserving soil moisture. Furthermore, the Espro 6m 6002 R is 700kg lighter than the outgoing Espro 6000 model it replaces. This will help to reduce soil compaction and fuel consumption, making a high-output drill easier to pull, concludes Ed.
LEMKEN
The new Lemken Solitair ST is ideally suited for farmers who want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power. Designed for large farms, this 12m seed drill is capable of working in anything from plough tillage to mulch tillage, combines several operations in a single pass and can apply different components.
It can be fitted with a range of leading implements to provide optimum conditions for the double disc coulters. When a defined row pre-consolidation is required to improve seed contact with the soil, there’s the option to use the plastic trapezoidal roller.
If the seedbed has to be levelled and further crumbled, a levelling tine section is fitted. For targeted soil loosening, corrugated discs can be used as a leading tool in front of the OptiDisc seeding coulter. This produces fine soil in the seed furrow area for optimum seed placement. At the same time, targeted loosening of the soil solely in front of the seed coulters ensures water-saving seedbed preparation.
The pressure-resistant double hopper is available in two versions: a 6000-litre version divided equally into two, or a 7000-litre version divided into 3000 and 4000-litre sections. The combination of plastic hopper and modular metering system has the advantage that the whole system is fertiliser resistant.
The basic version of the Solitair ST comes with four metering units per hopper section, each supplying one distributor with seed. This means manual width section control can be implemented with the standard version. At the same time, the four modular metering units provide the basis for the single-shot process with two different components.
The four distributor heads are positioned directly above the OptiDisc coulter bar to ensure optimum transverse seed distribution. The coulter bar features parallelogram- guided double disc coulters and trailing depth control rollers, which place seed or fertiliser at a row spacing of 12.5cm or optionally 16.7cm.
The coulter system is available in the hydraulic OptiDisc H version (up to 70kg coulter pressure) or the mechanical OptiDisc M version (up to 45kg coulter pressure). Both coulter pressure and seed depth can be adjusted independently of each other to ensure seed is always placed at exactly the same depth, even at high forward speeds and in changing soils. The trailing depth control roller presses the seed into the soil for fast, even emergence.
To achieve ground contour following across the working width of the machine, the coulter bar is divided into two sections supported by a central section. At the headlands, the coulter bar is raised and runs on side support wheels, allowing quick and gentle turning.
This article was taken from the latest issue of CPM. Read the article in full here.
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