At the end of summer, the season with unpredictable weather may lead to varying soil conditions in terms of moisture, shortening the available time for the final fieldwork and sowing. This creates the need or even just the convenience of combining the last fieldwork with sowing, thereby taking advantage of the right time window despite the unpredictable weather. In this regard, the ideal solution can be found in the range of Horsch seed drills for cereals, particularly in the “Pronto 6 Kr” model, where the number six refers to the operational width, while the “Kr” designation indicates its combination with the rotary harrow from the “Kredo” series, also produced by the Schwandorf-based company. Thanks to this setup, it is possible to overlap the time and costs required for the two different farming operations. This is especially advantageous when there are still substantial crop residues in the field that need to be incorporated into the soil matrix to facilitate sowing and accelerate the mineralization process of the organic matter.
Superficial but vigorous action
In this regard, the rotary harrow from the “Kr” series, driven by the PTO, has been specially developed to work the soil superficially but vigorously, becoming the ideal solution even for applications after plowing. In this case, the crop residues have already been incorporated into the soil, but the action of the rotary harrow allows them to be further broken down, refining the seedbed with a single pass instead of the two sometimes required on heavy soils. Indeed, when the matrix is predominantly clayey, plowing produces large, tough clods.
One pass, two interventionsù
This often requires a first pass with a disc harrow to break the clods, followed by a second harrowing using tined or disc equipment or a combination of both, depending on the field conditions. Conversely, the combination of the “Pronto” seed drills with the “Kr” rotary harrow allows one or more passes to be eliminated in the field, achieving optimal seedbeds even in difficult soil conditions. This benefits the uniformity of the sowing, leading to faster and more even crop emergence.
The “Kredo” harrows also offer great flexibility of use, as they can adjust the cultivation intensity by varying the working speed and rotational speed between 244 and 306 rpm. Additionally, they are equipped with a gearbox and transmission system designed to absorb the variable stresses encountered in the field. Four types of tines are available. In addition to the standard iron tines and those with handles, ideal for aggressive work on compact soils, you can also choose “Hm” and “Hm+” tines. The former are reinforced for longer wear life, while the latter are further strengthened by a sintering process that fuses fine tungsten carbide powder to the metal, providing extreme resistance to abrasion—making these tines ideal for particularly stony soils. After the harrow and before the seeding elements, a roller consolidates the top few centimeters of soil, where the seeds will germinate. The type of packer must be selected according to the texture and moisture level of the soil.
A roller for every need
Horsch offers a variety of rollers, starting with the trapezoidal ring model, ideal for heavy soils. This packer comes with metal rings in diameters of either 50 or 60 centimeters, depending on the soil’s consistency, but both can further break up any remaining small clods after the harrow pass. The rings also leave behind grooves that facilitate the seeding elements, even in challenging conditions. Alternatively, 64 cm toothed disc rollers can be mounted, a versatile solution for any soil condition, offering an advantage in fuel consumption due to their excellent rolling coefficient, thanks to the generous diameter. Completing the range of solutions are metal profile rollers with a high degree of self-cleaning or “FarmFlex” rubber rollers, ideal for dry soils.
Precision sowing
Once the seedbed is optimized, the sowing elements of the “Pronto” series come into play. Equipped with double-disc “TurboDisc” coulters, these elements precisely follow the contour of the terrain, uniformly placing the seeds at the set depth, aided by the 125 kg of pressure per coulter. Maximum precision in terms of depth is further ensured by the rubber shock absorbers on each coulter, a feature particularly appreciated when working at high speeds, as well as by the compression wheel at the end of each coulter, which precisely controls the working depth to guarantee optimal seed-to-soil contact.
Title: Horsch “Pronto 6 Kr” seed drills, ideal even for the hardest soils
Translation with ChatGPT
