Faster and more accurate planting

However, a sneak peep of what’s in the pipeline is pointing towards increased accuracy, faster set up times and improved ease of use.

The new ValoTerra precision planter is equipped with its own 56-volt, on-board power system, with electricity to the planter’s motors supplied via a PTO-driven, 5.6kW generator – thus removing the need for any battery packs.

The result of several years of R&D, the main development goal was not only to make the planter easier to adjust, but also ensure precise seed spacing, planting depth and singulation to always get a more uniform emergence, says the French manufacturer.

A newly developed and patented metering system on the ValoTerra is described as an improved version of the Monoshox system. This results in consistent accuracy while operating at speeds of up to 2km/h faster.

An example of improvements to ease of use is switching between crops when only the seed disc needs changing. The company suggests that this task takes less than a minute per row to complete the changeover.

Equipped with variable rate and section control, further new developments include the FertiSmart fertiliser dosage system. This is configured to use a single motor for each individual dosing unit. The system is claimed to distribute a wide range of fertilisers, including bio pellets, even when working on slopes.

The MicroSmart micro-granule applicator works using one metering unit and two fall/drop pipes per row, while the new Monosem Plus app allows users to control individual metering units via a mobile device or tablet.

Available in models from 6-12 rows, offering working widths from 4.2m to 6.0m, individual row hoppers hold 70 litres-equivalent to 160,000 maize seeds, while the pressure of the 450mm diameter double-disc openers can be increased in three steps of 30kg. Look out for the commercial release at the SIMA Event to be held in Paris during November.