Agritechnica saw many of the multinational manufacturers who distribute their drills in the UK announce new features, models and ranges of note to farmers here. From piggyback machines to large trailed seeders, CPM selects some of the highlights.
“Precea precision drills offer significant potential for savings in fertiliser applied with the crop.” AMAZONE
By Martin Rickatson
Away from the glitz and glamour of the latest self-propelled machine developments announced at November’s Agritechnica, the world’s largest farm equipment show held in Hanover, Germany, plenty of advances in implements were to be found among the vast halls, particularly in new kit for the very start of the season – drilling time.
Lemken launches
Lemken’s entry into the no-till drill market is a hybrid development that blends features of its established Solitair min-till drills with knowledge acquired through its 2023 acquisition of South African direct seeding specialist Equalizer, which makes drills with working widths of up to 24m.
The launch model of the new ISOBUS-compatible Solitair NT has a more European-friendly working width of 6m. Two rows of 480mm ProDisc single coulters spaced at 16.7cm are angled at seven degrees, with a ten-degree undercut, and can be pressured at up to 340kg for slicing through trash and penetrating baked-hard ground.
Seed is supplied via a 4400-litre tank, with the option of a 5100-litre split hopper that can deliver products to front or rear coulters as selected. Also on the options list is a 500-litre small-seed/nutrient hopper for additional product or companion crop application. Behind each coulter come adjustable canted steel press wheels for slot-closing.
Lemken also introduced its Faya precision drill, a single-row seeding complement to its established Azurit model with its Delta Row seeding system. Available in 8-, 9- or twelve-row versions, the Faya is based on a modular frame design with 6m working width and a two-section folding mechanism, allowing a variety of possible row spacing combinations from 45-80cm. The system also enables swift conversion between 12 x 50cm and 8 x 75cm formats, suggests the maker, suiting users who may wish to sow, for example, both beet and maize with the same drill.
An overpressure system pushes seed towards the singling discs, while a scraper prevents seed from doubling up, with three scraper control options for: mechanical control per row, electrical control via the control terminal, and automatic control with seed sensor integration. Precision is maintained at speeds of up to 16km/h, suggests Lemken.
Tramline tech from Amazone
The latest technology developments for Amazone’s 6-12m range of high-output Precea precision drills offer significant potential for savings in fertiliser applied with the crop, suggests the German manufacturer.
Full section control is possible in angular work as well as headlands through single-row switching which takes place at the distributor head. FertiSpot portioning technology permits application down to individual plant level, with fertiliser flow governed by a high-speed rotor which delivers per-seed portions to each fertiliser coulter. Control of the portioning unit and delivery of the seed are synchronised.
Via the drill’s ISOBUS touchscreen page, operators can select the fertiliser placement position beneath or between the seeds. For higher plant population densities, the fertiliser rate can be split through a MultiSpot feature which – when compared with band application – results in lower concentration of nutrients in the soil due to the increased concentration in the fertiliser doses, improving nutrient absorption over the longer term.
CurveControl manages fertiliser distribution on the inner and outer coulters when drilling on a curve, adjusting rates according to coulter travel speed. Benefits are said to include a significant effect on crop uniformity resulting from consistent fertiliser application.
The firm also introduced EasyTram, a tramline placement system designed for use with its Cirrus 04 Grand and Precea drills. It allows flexible drilling direction independent of the tramlines. Application maps are created via the AmaConnect data platform and transferred to the tractor’s ISOBUS terminal.
When used in conjunction with its MultiSwitch single row switching, Amazone claims significant savings in seed and fertiliser.
Väderstad updates coulters
Väderstad’s Spirit and Inspire drills fitted with the new TriForce II coulter arm suspension – which has resulted from a three-year development programme – both benefit from a 50% increase in maximum coulter pressure designed for maximum sowing depth consistency from the double-disc coulters in tough ground conditions.
The patented design increases the maximum force imposed to 120kg, and to handle the greater pressure, the arms are manufactured as cast units and mounted on a triangular-profile. Depth adjustment can now be made from the operator’s seat, with no need to add shim stops to the hydraulic rams. The coulters can be spaced at 16.7cm as well as 12.5cm.
As with Lemken, Väderstad also offered some precision drill developments at Agritechnica, with the row units on its Tempo machines gaining new quick-release covers for the singulation discs and more robust hoppers with easier access. New on the options list is instant on-the-go adjustment of coulter pressure and sowing depth.
Pöttinger precision
Pöttinger was another firm with precision drill news, showing off a machine in its own colours for the first time since its 2022 acquisition of Matermacc, an Italian firm which had specialised in this area. After three years studying the sector and evaluating the expertise it’s acquired, the company has now begun to rebrand the machines and will offer them through its own dealer network.
While bigger models more likely to appeal to UK farmers and contractors are in the pipeline, Pöttinger is focusing initially on the six-row Puro H 3000, which features the firm’s Dual Disc coulters spaced at 75cm, and providing up to 180kg of pressure.
Unique features are said to include a special composite used in the synthetic casing of the metering unit that strengthens and maximises resistance to torsion. The unit has a two-part design with a cover that can be removed without tools for maintenance and seed plate changes.
Seed hoppers have a 68-litre capacity that Pöttinger calculates is good for up to 900,000 maize seeds, with a shut-off plate beneath allowing changing of seed plates even when there’s seed in the hoppers.
A 1300-litre fertiliser hopper is optional, fitted complete with sprung double-disc fertiliser coulters. The position of each band of fertiliser can be individually set independently of the seed row. With a 4.5m working width, the Puro H 3000 has a transport width of 3.0m.
Horsch expands Pronto and Avatar
New on show from Horsch was a 9 DC addition to its Pronto disc drill series, with a 9.0m working width and a new hopper design with a maximum capacity of 6000 litres.
The drill sits on a new frame which is said to have been strengthened significantly to match the additional capacity. Coulter options comprise the established third-generation TurboDisc double disc units or the new ParaDisc, a newly-developed parallelogram seed coulter designed to tackle very heavy and/or stony soils through higher inertia created by the parallelogram, plus higher coulter pressure.
For those seeking to sow seed with fertiliser, or a companion crop, a split hopper is optional, as is a fertiliser coulter disc arrangement which permits product to be placed at a set distance beneath the seed furrow.
The Horsch Avatar range is also expanded with the new Avatar 12 LC, featuring the firm’s SingleDisc coulters. While there’s already a 12m Avatar 12 SD in the range, the new LC model differs primarily in the hopper department.
A three-part tank has a total capacity of 9400 litres, divided in a 50:15:35 ratio into 4580-, 1530- and 3290-litre compartments, allowing three separate seeds and/or nutrients to be simultaneously applied. A Horsch MiniDrill is a further option for small-seed application.
Horsch says further Avatar developments are in the pipeline, including the incorporation of the AutoForce automatic coulter pressure regulation system and the RowControl distribution tower.
Second-gen Espro from Kuhn
The second generation of its core disc-coulter min-till drill, the developments on Kuhn’s new Espro drills – available in 3/4/6m and 2500/3500-litre sizes – centre largely around greater practicality, ease of use and adjustment, claims the firm.
Among the changes resulting from the redesign are mid-height access to the walkway and half-open filling of the new plastic seed hopper. Combined with a reduction in chassis bulk, the introduction of the new hopper has reduced overall machine weight by around 10% on the 6m model, helping to enhance traction and reduce tractor pull requirement and fuel consumption, claims the maker.
The ISOBUS-controlled drill incorporates features including automated headland turn management.
Espro drills now feature straight working discs to minimise soil disturbance and moisture loss, while new DuraKarb and DuraSteel components, made with carbide plate to protect working metal and prolong working life, are fitted as standard from the factory.
Up to six working zones can be specified when ordering the machines, with levelling, cultivation, pressing, seeding and consolidation zones all specifiable depending on whether the primary work will be on ploughed land or stubble.
Kverneland updates e-drills
Drill developments announced at Agritechnica weren’t all about the largest machines with the highest potential outputs. As such, there are multiple new features for the 2026 models in Kverneland’s e-drill range, including variable row distances, full integration of Kverneland Sync, and new seed flow sensors on each row.
The new e-drill models now feature the firm’s CX-II coulters with clamped brackets for simple row spacing adjustment, and can be ordered without following press wheels for those on very light land.
Kverneland Sync has been integrated into the e-drill range for full connection to its online services, providing real-time and recorded insight into machine performance with data including working speed and seed rates/m². It also enables task management and reporting, remote diagnostics via the Kverneland ServiceCentre, and geofencing for work accuracy and theft protection.
Smaller models from Bednar
Better known in the UK market for its relatively recent establishment as a specialist in big cultivators and drills, Czech firm Bednar announced its move into smaller mounted combination drills with the unveiling of its ISOBUS-compatible 3.0m Soniq ON.
The machine on the show stand was mounted on a power harrow offered under the firm’s own branding as the Kator KN, designed with four rotors/m driven by gears encased in a 12mm-thick trough with external oil level check. Each rotor runs on three bearings.
Quick-change tines are 33cm long, and packer options include smooth, toothed and trapezoidal rollers of 500-550mm diameter.
On the drill front, a single-chamber pressurised hopper has a 1000-litre standard capacity, up to 1600 litres. Options include half-width shut-off and remote calibration via Bednar’s Farm Link mobile app, with full hopper emptying.
Double-disc seed coulters are mounted on a parallel linkage, with pressure and seed depth adjustable mechanically or hydraulically, and a maximum pressure of 60kg/coulter. The Soniq ON is available with 12.5cm or 15cm row spacings.
This article was taken from the latest issue of CPM. Read the article in full here.
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