WESTERN PRODUCER – Competitors in the seeding equipment industry are marching together in same direction. Research and development folks are searching for bigger yields along with significant improvements in tillage, crop protection and fertilizer efficiency.
The first goal, bigger yields, has always been possible with better seed varieties, higher rates of fertilizer and better crop protection chemistry.
But the world pulled the rug out from under two main components of the success story: Fertilizer and crop protection chemistry. That leaves variety improvement and improved seeding technology to give us bigger yields to feed a bigger global population, all with less chemical.
Vaderstad read the situation in advance, motivating them to start work early on equipment to meet these challenges. For their trouble, the Vaderstad Proceed received two awards at the SIMA agricultural tradeshow, held November in Paris.
Vaderstads Proceed seeder was named Farm Machine 2023 in the seeding category. It also received a silver medal for innovation.
Maintaining yield with lower seeding rates is a major goal of all manufacturers of seeding equipment. Vaderstad worked closely with Syngenta, conducting Proceed trials on winter wheat with seed rates as low as 65 kilograms per hectare.
The new drill features a two-point linkage, with pivot packer wheels to support the drawbar when tractor tire pressures are reduced. This also serves to support the drawbar and maintain it in a parallel position relative to the ground.
Proceed uses two rows of packers, with row spacings of 250 millimetres, 500 mm or 750 mm.
The seed metering discs can be quickly changed.
Prior to seed placement, individual pre-seeding wheels consolidate the soil in front of the coulters to ensure the same seedbed conditions for each seed. The wheels are individually mounted and use hydraulic downforce to maintain consistent performance.
