Precision the key at seeding

Under the banner of Generation 2011, European manufacturer Amazone has brought to the market a new range of D9 linkage mechanical mounted seed drills and AD Pack Top seed drills.

These machines are characterised by their modern design and have a new model designation, where the X000 abbreviation stands for the relevant working width. Both series include models in working widths of 2.5 metres, 3m, 3.5m and 4m, with the special execution having the smaller capacity, whereas the super version offers the larger hopper volume.

The most important innovation of the 000 series is the Roller Drill System (RDS) with the new RoTeC Control coulters and a new roller harrow. RDS ensures the precise seed placement, even at higher forward speeds.

Also new is the possibility to specify the machine with a coulter spacing of 16.6cm.

The focus of the new RDS is precise rolling, precise sowing and flexible embedding. In this way, Amazone has perfectly matched the functionality of the wedge ring roller, RoTeC Control disc coulters and then either the Exact following or roller harrow.

Initially, the rings of the wedge ring roller reconsolidate the soil in strips where the seed furrow will be.

Into this smooth groove, the following RoTeC Control disc coulters travel extremely smoothly, creating a very precise furrow prior to sowing the seed into that reconsolidated furrow bottom.

The coulters are followed by either the roller harrow or the Exact following harrow, which then cover the seed with loose soil or, where the roller harrow is used, to press the soil over the top. The pressure on the roller harrow can be adjusted independently of the coulter pressure. If necessary, the roller harrow can be raised out of the way completely.

The advantage of the RoTeC Control sowing coulters is the control 10 depth guidance disc with a 10mm or control 25 with its 25mm contact areas, fitted on the side of each sowing coulter.

These discs, which run directly next to the sowing coulters, ensure a precise depth guidance, especially when compared with other coulter systems, which are equipped with a firmly fixed depth guidance roller.

With a coulter pressure of up to 35kg, the effective coulter pressure is higher in comparison, because the pressure is not split between the depth guidance roller and coulter but is applied exclusively to the coulter.

For canola sowing, or drilling cereals early in dry conditions, operating with less coulter pressure is possible without any problems.

All models have been equipped with larger, more comfortable steps, wider loading boards and an optimised harrow retainer and adjustment system.

With this system, ease of operation has once again been improved.

As is already possible with the current series, the new seed drills can be combined with different soil tillage implements, following rollers and coulter systems to optimise the equipment according to the individual demands of different farming situations.